Those which come to sermons and goe away vnreformed are like those which looke in a glas, spie the spott in their face, but will not take the pains to wipe it off.
He defined catechising to be a breife and familiar kinde of teaching the principles of relligion, in a plaine manner by way of question and aunswere, either publiquely by the minister, or privately by the maister or mistres of the family. Herein noted the difference betwixt preaching and catechising, that that is a large continued course of speache, and may be performed onely by the minister.
It is the custome (not the lawe) in Fraunce and Italy, that yf anie notorious professed strumpet will begg for a husband a man which is going to execution, he shal be reprieved, and she may obteine a pardon, and marry him, that both their ill lives may be bettered by soe holie an action. Hence grewe a jeast, when a scoffing gentlewoman told a gentleman shee heard that he was in some danger to haue bin hangd for some villanie, he answered, "Truely, madame, I was a feard of nothing soe much as you would have begd me." * * *
In England it hath bin vsed that yf a woman will beg a condemned person for hir husband, shee must come in hir smocke onely, and a white rod in hir hand: as Sterrill said he had seen.
fo. 77b.
12 Dec. 1602.
Montagne tells of a Piccard that was going to execution, and when he sawe a limping wenche coming to begg him, "Oh, shee limps! she limps!" sayd hee, "dispatch me quickly," preferring death before a limping wife.
J. Cooper demaunded of Nic. Girlington, whoe is lately returned from Fraunce, what thing he tooke most delight in, in all his travail. He told him to see a masse in their churches, it was performed with such magnificent pomp and ceremonie, in soe goodly a place, as would make a man admire it. The Hugonots are coupt up in barnes, as it were, in regard of the Papists churches.
I heard that Geneva is beseiged by the Duke of Savoy.
Mr. Hadsor told me that the Earl of Ormonds daughter is come 16.to our Court, and that shee shall be married to yong Ormond, cosen german to the old Earle, which yong man was in prison here in Engl[and,] but is nowe to be released.
Mr. Girlington told me there was on Blackewell brought ouer as 17.apprehended and sent over by Sir Thomas Parry, Embassador in Fraunce, because he had confessed under his hand that he came from the Spanyard to murder hir Majestie or burne the Navy.