MEMOIR OF EDMUND MATHEW
73
time allotted for recreation, he freindly and freely desired him not to be vrgent to haue him so often for his companion. It was much that a litle boy of a most sweet disposition, gratious and good paerts vniuersally beloued and esteemed by all, yet was not fondly affected by anyone; for the loue which all did beare him was euer with a respect and reuerence. N either was he forward to insinuat himself into any mans affection, though out of true vertue he sought to content all. Our Lord seemed to be zealous of that purest soule, and took him away to himself when those talents, which migh[tJ commend him more to the vogue and esteeme of men and consequently cause a lesse refind and spirituall affection, began to open and display themselfs, which hitherto for his age and loughnesse of his scool had (P'30) not much appeared in him; he began now to be looked on as the grace of the stage in acting. He was pretty forward for interpreting Greek authours and in all probabi[liJty woold haue prooued a good disputant, for he had a pretty witt, and excellent iudgement, a cleare vterance and spoak lattin well for one of that scoole; and these are the Paerts that do most sett forth a youth especially of his age and bignesse in ()ur seminary. But who knowes but yt with this exteriour lustre his inward lightnesse might bee obscured. For it commonly happens that the more one shines before the world, the more dimb and dull is the light which he casteth to heauen. This did our Lord preuent by taking away EDMUND to himself when he had newly entered in Grammer scoole; nor wood he expose so rich and radient a perle to be by prases of men sullied, which hitherto he had charily concealed and kept close from the eys and knowledge of him who had most right vnto it. My meaning is that this vertuous child did not know his owne worth, and litle thought there was anything extraordinary in him, much lesse that such treasurs weare confined to his soule; yea frequently when he merited most and did heroicall acts for the loue of God, he looked vppon himself in a manner as lost. It is worthy [of] consideration (for to prays our Lord GOD in his mercys) how close his diuine Maiesty held this (P.31) child by him, how he took him by the hand, and drew him after him in the strait and narrow path, according to the saying of the Royall profett: Adhtesit anima mea post te, me suscepit dextera tua " 'my soule hath douen to thee, and thy right hand taken me': and againe deduxit me super semitas Justitite propter nomen suum, 'he hath led me through the paths of Justice to glorify his name.' And how he hedged in his way with thomes when there was danger for him to stepp aside, as he promises to do with his elect by the mouth of an other prophet. A vertuous youth rons great hazard of relenting his feruour whilst he is in the infirmary, if he [be] but lightly sick and has noe great paine to quicken his spirit and put him in mind of GOD. For the liberty and indulgence graunted to that place, of laying long in bed, of sitting all the day by the fire side, of talking, playing, disporting and the like, makes him soone forgett his duty, to neglect his accustomed deuotions and to loose in the space of a few days what he had gained in many weeks, and perhaps will not recouer in twice as many. Our Litle