2

[page] 2

To begin then, and dally no longer;
The first 13. yeares of my life. I lived
without any reflexe thoughts; though
I could stand, and answer my father,
like an hypocrite, when he posed mee
in religious matters; yet was I very
rebellious, and feirce against my mother
and the servants (who yet dealt [ ]
[ ] with my childish impetuous nature)
so long I scarse knew practicallye, the
right hand in religion from the
lefte; About that time (as I take
it;) my father was exercising (ut solst)
in his familye upon the 11. math: []2.
last. v^s. come unto mee, yee that are
heavy loaden; &: Art thou loaden? [ ]
no, no; answered my soule; / whereat
I was a litle startled; but the
hedge (as my age) was but low, ad
the devell trode it downe, with ease.
when I was about. 13. and an halfe
my father senig how litle I had
profited under such a diversity of
schoole masters, as wee had at weth[ers]
feild; sends mee, to Felsted wher
indeed, I thinke, I got more good in

[page] 3

in one 2. yeares. with the blessing
of god upon the diligent labours of
my godly master M^r Holbeack, the[ ]
I got in many twoos before; the
1. yeare I borded at M^r Fitches; =
where I passed many a day of [ ]
[ ]itye; amongst the rest, upon may
day was 7. yeare; viz: 1627. / I
made account to adde one more ad
being holyday; Mary Adams, our maide
asked mee, if I would goe to heare
M^r Wells at Terling; to which I
answered yea; and so went slipping,
but why? the maine cause that drew
mee (as I remember) was that I
might see a new towne; and heare
a new man; *Athenian as I was
I desired noveltyes; though with
an unknowne god; / But god had
another end, though I knew nothing
well; M^r Wells his mournsfull prayer
melted mee into teares (as I thinke)
but his sermon especiallye, which was
upon the parable; I have bought a
yoke of oxeen; &: his D. pleasures
or earthly matters keepe many men
from heaven;