Let me give you the example of two men more, that have lived nearer to
our own times: first of Doctor _Nowel_ sometimes Dean of S. _Paul's_,
(in which Church his Monument stands yet undefaced) a man that in the
Reformation of Queen _Elizabeth_ (not that of _Henry the VIII_.) was so
noted for his meek spirit, deep Learning, Prudence and Piety, that the
then Parliament and Convocation, both chose, injoyned, and trusted him
to be the man to make a Catechism for publick use, such a one as should
stand as a rule for faith and manners to their posteritie: And the good
man (though he was very learned, yet knowing that God leads us not to
heaven by hard questions) made that good, plain, unperplext Catechism,
that is printed with the old Service Book. I say, this good man was as
dear a lover, and constant practicer of Angling, as any Age can
produce; and his custome was to spend (besides his fixt hours of prayer,
those hours which by command of the Church were enjoined the old
Clergy, and voluntarily dedicated to devotion by many Primitive
Christians:) besides those hours, this good man was observed to spend,
or if you will, to bestow a tenth part of his time in Angling; and also
(for I have conversed with those which have conversed with him) to
bestow a tenth part of his Revenue, and all his fish, amongst the poor
that inhabited near to those Rivers in which it was caught, saying
often, _That Charity gave life to Religion_: and at his return would
praise God he had spent that day free from worldly trouble, both
harmlesly and in a Recreation that became a Church-man.
My next and last example shall be that undervaluer of money, the late
Provost of _Eaton Colledg_, Sir _Henry Wotton_, (a man with whom I have
often fish'd and convers'd) a man whose forraign imployments in the
service of this Nation, and whose experience, learning, wit and
cheerfulness, made his company to be esteemed one of the delights of
mankind; this man, whose very approbation of Angling were sufficient to
convince any modest Censurer of it, this man was also a most dear
lover, and a frequent practicer of the Art of Angling, of which he
would say, "['Twas an imployment for his idle time, which was not idly
spent;]" for Angling was after tedious study "[A rest to his mind, a
cheerer of his spirits, a divertion of sadness, a calmer of unquiet
thoughts, a Moderator of passions, a procurer of contentedness, and
that it begot habits of peace and patience in those that profest and
practic'd it.]"
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