by that time he might have need enough to look after, having fpent (I fuppofe) the greateft Part of the Monies which had been left him by his Grandfather, in maintaining himself and his Family at an high Rate in London.

My elder Brother (for I had one Brother and two Sifters, all elder than my self) was, while we lived in London, Boarded at a private School, in the House of one Francis Atkinson, at a Place called Hadley, near Barnet in Hertfordfhire; where he had made fome good Proficiency in the Latin and French Tongues. But af ter we had left the City, and were resettled in the Country; he was taken from that private School, and fent to the Free School at Thame in Oxfordshire.

Thither alfo was I fent, as foon as my tender Age would permit: for I was indeed but young when I went, and yet feemed younger than I was, by reafon of my low and little Stature. For it was held, for fome Years, a doubtful Point, whether I fhould not have proved a Dwarf. But after I was arrived to the Fif teenth Year of my Age (or thereabouts) I began to fhoot up, and gave not over growing, till I had attained the middle Size and Stature of Men.

At this School (which at that time was in good Reputation) I profited apace; having then a natural Propenfity to Learning: fo that at the first reading over of my Leffon, I commonly made my felf Mafter of it: And yet (which is ftrange to think of) few Boys in the

School

School wore out more Birch than I. For tho' I was never (that I remember) whip't upon 1 the Score of not having my Leffon ready, or f of not faying it well: yet being a little bufie Boy, full of Spirit, of a working Head, and active Hand, I could not eafily conform my felf to the grave and fober Rules, and (as I then thought) fevere Orders of the School, but was often playing one waggish Prank or other among my Fellow-Scholars, which fubjected me to Correction, fo that I have come under the Difcipline of the Rod twice in a Forenoon. Which yet brake no Bones.

Had I been continued at this School, and in due time preferred to an higher; I might in likelihood have been a Scholar: for I was obferved to have a Genius apt to learn. But my Father having, fo foon as the Republican-Government began to fettle, accepted the Office of Juftice of the Peace (which was no way Beneficial, but meerly Honorary, and every way Expenfive) and put himself into a Port, and Courfe of Living agreeable thereunto; and having alfo removed my Brother from ThameSchool to Merton-Colledge in Oxford, and entred him there in the highest and most chargeable Condition, of a Fellow-Commoner: he found it needful to retrench his Expences elsewhere; the Hurt of which fell upon me. For he thereupon took me from School, to fave the Charge of Maintaining me there: which was fomewhat like plucking green Fruit from the Tree, and laying it by, before it was come to its due RipeC 3

1

nefs

nefs; which will thenceforth fhrink and wither, and lose that little Juice and Relish which it began to have.

Even fo it fared with me. For being taken home when I was but young, and before I was well fettled in my Studies, (though I had made a good Progrefs in the Latin Tongue, and was entred in the Greek) being left too much to my felf, to ply, or play with my Books, or without them, as I pleased: I foon fhook Hands with my Books by fhaking my Books out of my Hands, and laying them, by degrees, quite afide; and addicted my felf to fuch youthful Sports and Pleasures as the Place afforded, and my Condition could reach unto.

By this Means, in a little time, I began to lofe that little Learning I had acquired at School; and by a continued difufe of my Books, became at length fo utterly a Stranger to Learning, that I could not have read, far lefs have understood a Sentence in Latin. Which I was so fenfible of, that I warily avoided reading to others, even in an English Book, left, if I fhould meet with a Latin Word, I fhould fhame my felf, by mispronouncing it.

Thus I went on, taking my Swing in fuch vain Courses,as were accounted harmless Recreations; entertaining my Companions, and familiar Acquaintance, with pleafant Discourses in our Converfations, by the meer Force of Mother-Wit and Natural Parts, without the Help of School-Cultivation: and was accounted good Company too.

But

But I always forted my felf with Persons of Ingenuity, Temperance and Sobriety: for I loathed Scurrilities in Converfation, and had a natural Averfion to Immoderate Drinking. So that in the Time of my greatest Vanity, I was preferved from Prophannefs, and the groffer Evils of the World: which render'd me acceptable to Perfons of the best Note in that Country then. I often waited on the Lord Wenman, at his Houfe Thame-Park (about two Miles from Crowell, where I lived;) to whose Favour I held my felf intituled in a two-fold Refpe&t: both as my Mother was nearly related to his Lady; and as he had been pleased to bestow his Name upon me, when he made large Promifes for me at the Font. He was a Perfon of great Honour and Virtue, and always gave me a kind Reception at his Table, how often foever I came. And I have caufe to think, I should have received from this Lord fome advantageous Preferment in this World, as foon as he had found me capable of it (though betwixt him and my Father there was not then fo good an Understanding as might have been wish'd) had I not been, in a little time after, called into the Service of the best and highest Lord and thereby loft the Favour of all my Friends, Relations and Acquaintance of this World. To the Account of which moft happy Exchange I haften, and therefore willingly pafs over many Particularities of my youthful Life. Yet one Paffage I am willing to mention, for the Effect it had upon me afterwards: which was thus:

:

1657. My Father being then in the Commiffion of the Peace, and going to a Petty-Seffions at Watlington, I waited on him thither. And when we came near the Town, the Coachman feeing a nearer and easier Way, than the common Road, through a Corn Field, and that it was wide enough for the Wheels to run, without endammaging the Corn, turned down there. Which being obferved by an Husband-man, who was at Plow not far off, he ran to us; and ftopping the Coach, poured forth a Mouthful of Complaints, in none of the belt Language, for driving over the Corn. My Father mildly answered him, That if there was an Offence committed, he must rather impute it to his Servant, than himself; fince he neither directed him to drive that Way, nor knew which way he drove, Yet added, that he was going to fuch an Inn at the Town; whither if he came, he would make him full Satisfaction, for whatsoever Dammage he had fuftained thereby. And fo on we went, the Man venting his Discontent, as he went back, in angry Accents. At the Town, upon enquiry, we understood that it was a way often used, and without Dammage, being broad enough; but that it was not the common Road, which yet lay not far from it, and was alfo good enough: Wherefore my Father bid his Man drive Home that way.

It was late in the Evening when we returned, and very dark; and this quarrelfome Man, who had troubled himself and us in the Morn