The following allusion towards the bottom of p. 37 confirms the idea of Walton's authorship. Speaking of Hugh Peters and John Lilbourn, the writer says:—"Their turbulent lives and uncomfortable deaths are not I hope yet worn out of the memory of many. He that compares them with the holy life and happy death of Mr. George Herbert, as it is plainly and I hope truly writ by Mr. Isaac Walton, may in it find a perfect pattern for an humble and devout Christian to imitate," &c.
The following are the chief parallel passages in this pamphlet and in
Walton's other writings, as indicated by Zouch:—
Second Letter, p. 19. Life of George Herbert.
I wish as heartily as you Mr. George Herbert having do that all such Clergy-mens changed his sword and Wives as have silk Cloaths silk clothes into a canonical be-daubed with Lace, and coat, thus warned Mrs. Herbert their heads hanged about against this egregious folly with painted Ribands, were of striving for precedency:— enjoyned Penance for their "You are now a minister's pride: And their Husbands wife, and must now so far forget punisht for being so tame, or your father's house, as not so lovingly-simple, as to suffer to claim a precedence of any them; for, by such Cloaths, of your parishioners," &c. they proclaim their own Ambition, and their Husbands folly.
And I say the like, concerning their striving for Precedency.
P. 20. Life of George Herbert.
And, I confess also, what One cure for the wickedness you say of a Clergy-mans of the times would be, bidding to fast on the Eves of for the clergy themselves Holy-days, in Lent, and the to keep the Ember-weeks Ember Weeks: And I wish strictly, &c. those biddings were forborn, or better practised by themselves.
P. 20. Life of George Herbert.
And, I wish as heartily as Those ministers that huddled you can, that they would not up the church prayers only read, but pray, the without a visible reverence Common Prayer; and not and affection: namely, such huddle it up so fast (as too as semed to say the Lord's many do) by getting into a Prayer or collect in a breath. middle of a second Collect, before a devout Hearer can say Amen to the first.
_Preface to Sanderson's XXI P. 20. Sermons, 1655._