This stroke alludes to a rumour of the times, noticed also by Clarendon, that Pym died of the morbus pediculosus.
“Peard, a bold lawyer of little note.”—Clarendon.
These divines were as ready with the sword as the pen; thus, we are told in “The Impartial Scout” for July, 1650—“The ministers are now as active in the military discipline as formerly they were in the gospel profession, Parson Ennis, Parson Brown, and about thirty other ministers having received commissions to be majors and captains, who now hold forth the Bible in one hand, and the sword in the other, telling the soldiery that they need not fear what man can do against them—that God is on their side—and that He hath prepared an engine in heaven to break and blast the designs of all covenant-breakers.”—Ed.
A forcible description of Locke may be found in the curious “Life of Wood,” written by himself. I shall give the passage where Wood acknowledges his after celebrity, at the very moment the bigotry of his feelings is attempting to degrade him.
Wood belonged to a club with Locke and others, for the purpose of hearing chemical lectures. “John Locke of Christchurch was afterwards a noted writer. This John Locke was a man of a turbulent spirit, clamorous, and never contented. The club wrote and took notes from the mouth of their master, who sat at the upper end of a table, but the said John Locke scorned to do it; so that while every man besides of the club were writing, he would be prating and troublesome.”
This anecdote deserves preservation. I have drawn it from the MSS. of Bishop Kennet.