sibly be deceived by him; if he be the life, we cannot possibly come by any thing that is hurtful. If your flesh and blood be straitened in prison by the temptations of the devil; if the chains and shackles press hard upon you, remember the crown of thorns which our Redeemer bore, and without any guilt of his own. Matth. xi. 28, it is written, Come to me all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will refresh you; and let this be for your comfort. Nor is it enough that a man is laden with bonds and chains, for that is only a temporal punishment; you must, at the same time, take your hearts prisoners by the word of God. Sigh, therefore, with David, and say,

* Look not upon my sins, O God,

Make pure my heart, make clean my soul;

A new gloss on my spirit set,

And from thy presence chase me not.

Thy holy spirit grant thou me,

With peace and health refresh thou me,

To please thee, make me willing, Lord! Amen.

Thus ought men to live in prison, upon which, by the grace of God, remission of sins must necessarily follow.

XXIII. I had almost forgotten the common soldiery, which I would not willingly do, for there is great philosophy to be found among them, i. e. There is nothing in the world, but you may find it among soldiers: You find learned and unlearned, good and bad, holy and profligate men; you find some who really aim at the kingdom of God, and others who suffer themselves to be blinded by the devil, and live according to his will: nay, many strangers, which no man knows who they are; one fears God, another blas phemes him. In a word, you have among the soldiers pious and impious men; and, if a soldier leads a good life, it may be said to be stricter than a capuchin's; but such a one is a creature very despicable, yet more or less, according to the country he lives in. When an enemy knocks at your gates, ye great ones, and you can. but get soldiers, you rejoice exceedingly; but, if God give you peace again, I am sure you have no command from him, that they, who have served you faithfully, should be cashiered and sent away without pay, and those, which stay behind, should scarce have bread enough to eat. I suppose they are creatures created of God, and redeemed as well as you; he, that wrongs them, wrongs God in heaven here I must die for a man's fortune, with whom I never changed a word all my life; for a woman, which I never saw: nay, for a man that is dead, whom I never had a view of: And are not these three very great things? I leave it to every man's consideration. It would grieve a man, I confess, it is a little. hard; yet be it as God pleases, I have intirely resigned myself to his will. And now I will tell you all that I have loved in the world: next to God and his holy precepts, I have loved my neigh This is part of a Spiritual Hymn used in the Lutheran Church.

bour till the late misfortune befel me: I have ever had a great fancy to travel, and from a child have had inclinations to be a soldier; which desire, as that of travelling, hath yet much decreased with time. A courtier's life I never much affected, because the court is generally crouded with a sort of politicians, which are no better than dissemblers. A learned and experienced man I always had a very great esteem for, whether he were rich or poor, for I have met with both sorts. Lastly, I have had a peculiar love for three things, yet have been most miserably cheated by them; yea, these three were instruments I made use of, that day I came into the late misfortune. I thought I had an excellent friend in the captain, but have been sadly deceived in him, and seduced by him: that is one thing. Secondly, I have been no hater of women, and here also I have been cheated. I have also had a great love for horses, and, when that late misfortune began, was upon the back of one.

Let every pious christian take a view of the world; let him love nothing that is in the world, but God alone. Let him do no wrong; nay, let him not permit another person to do that which he can hinder, especially where the poor and meaner sort are concerned; and he that is rich, let him look to it, that he may communicate to the poor heartily; and let him do the same to the sick, and to distressed families, and to strangers. The recompence God will give, who is so far from forgetting such works, that he will reward them a hundred-fold. Grieve no man who is already grieved, for it is sinful. Rejoice not over any man's misfortune, for, before a day be past, you may come to some sad accident. Take heed you do not speak ill of God; and take no false oath,

Yesterday I was at the last sermon which I am like to hear in this world; the preacher was an Englishman, and a doctor of divinity, his name Burnet; and I take God to witness, that in this sermon my sinful heart was opened, and received great comfort from it. The text was as follows: Christ Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. O joy above all joy! O comfortable promise! O sweet recreation of my soul! Nay, nothing can be found, that tends more to a poor sinner's comfort, than this comfortable promise. If, therefore, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, without doubt, he is come for my sake too. Therefore, O my sins, why do ye trouble me? Jesus Christ is here, who will take you away from me. Sing and rejoice, O my soul, with Jacob, Gen. xxxii. 10. I am less than the least of all thy mercies, and the truth thou hast shewn unto thy servant, With David we will say, 2 Sam. vii. 19. What am I, Lord, and what is my father's house, that thou hast brought me thus far? With the Virgin Mary, we will say, Luke i. 47. My soul magni fies the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in the God of my salva tion; for he hath done great things for me, and holy is his name. And here, you great commanders, give me leave to present you with this humble supplication, that you would not take it ill, be cause this writing comes to you in a homely stile, yet it is penned

with a good intent, and that is enough: because I am neither divine, nor philosopher, but have, by profession, been a soldier. I have written things in very coarse language; yet, I hope, no pious man will think ill of it. I have written nothing but what I have seen with mine own eyes; I grant, you are not all such persons, as my writing seems to make out, yet, must confess, that I have known abundance of such, but will not call them by their names. I am sorry I have seen so much, and have not eschewed that evil, which hath at last brought me to shame before the world.

XXIV. I shall, in the last place, briefly acquaint you with my course of life. About twenty-seven years ago, my father, of blessed memory, sent me out of Sweden to Germany, where, for two years together, I went to school. Two years after that, came the Muscovites, which obliged us to fly back to Sweden. About twentythree years ago, I left Sweden, and went to Pomerania, where I served the Elector of Brandenburgh a quarter of a year; from thence I went through Poland, towards the German Emperor's dominions. From Bohemia, I travelled into the Netherlands, from thence into France; from France again into the Netherlands with the army. After the peace, I went back to Bohemia, Austria, and Hungary, and after that again to the Netherlands, where I staid eight years; from thence I went farther, to Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, and then to Holstein, which was in the year 1681. During these thirteen years, I have been a papist twelve years, because I was commonly all that time in popish territories; but in Holstein, in the year 1681, I turned again to the Lutheran religion, in which I was born, and baptised, and in that, God willing, I mean to die. I could no longer bear with the popish religion, because of their many saints and intercessors, no religion comes nearer to mine, than that of the protestants in England; God grant they may live in peace with the calvinists to prevent quarrels, and in opposition to the papists.

There is

Ah! my dear Jesus, look upon me with the eyes of thy mercy, and chasten me not according to my desert. I firmly hope, thou wilt not dismiss my broken contrite heart without a blessing, the rather, because thou didst bespeak the poor thief upon the cross, with these comfortable words: This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. O Jesu! Let me also hear this word, and my soul will be safe. I will not cease praying to the very last, and to say, Lord Jesu, into thy hands I commend my spirit. These shall be my last words, and when I can speak no more, O Lord Jesu, thou wilt accept of my sighs, for I believe that thou camest into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Now, Lord Jesu, strengthen me in all my sufferings. Thou sayest, come to me all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will refresh you. In this faith, at thy command, I am come, but altogether unworthy; O Lord Jesu, heal thou me, for thou art the true physician of souls. Yea, Lord Jesu, I confess, that at present I feel great refreshment in my sinful heart. I am as an armed man, who goes against his enemy, and will not draw back one step, but fight courageously.

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Now, Lord Jesu, thou hast armed me with a stedfast faith and con. fidence in thee. Grant me, Lord Jesu, that I may be thankful for this great mercy and goodness; let me wrestle boldly, and press through life and death. Hallelujah.

Let me say, Lord Jesu, with St. Paul, If God be for us, who can be against us? Nay, he hath not spared his own son, but hath given him for our sins. Who will accuse the elect of God? It is God that justifies, Who will condemn? It is Christ that died, who sits at the right-hand of God, and intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall trouble, shall anguish, shall persecution, shall hunger, shall nakedness, shall peril, or the sword? as it is written by David, Psalm xviii. 28. The Lord make my darkness light; and the blood of Jesus Christ wash me and purify me from all my sins. Amen, Jesu, Amen, Amen.

Whatever state or dignity a true christian is of, he must not make light of prayer, or think, I can pray to-morrow, and this business I must do to-day. Ah! Christian, let thy business be rather laid aside, except thy fellow-christian should be in the pangs or death, or thy house should be on fire, for these things may cause more than ordinary trouble. Neglect not the service of God, O my son, nor the festivals of the church, for I can tell, what will be the effect of that neglect. In a word, nothing should have so much of your care, as the exercise of prayer, and going to the house of God, where you must not sit idle, but work in the vineyard, that you may receive your penny, which the Lord of the vineyard will at last give. Consider this, for Christ's sake. Amen, Amen. My sweet Jesu. Amen.

XXV. And now I will let you know how I came to that laté misfortune here in London. About the end of October last I came to London, and lodged in the city, near the Royal Exchange, in Broadstreet, in the Dutch Ordinary, at the sign of the City of Amsterdam. When I had been there about a month, a gentleman came to lodge there, who called himself Vallicks, but his name is Vrats: he and I began to be acquainted: at last he told me he had a request to me; to whom I replied, that, to the utmost of my power, he might command me. To this he said, that he had a quarrel with a gentleman, and desired me to be his second. I told him without any consideration, I would. A fortnight after, he told me, that it was good living thereabouts; and if I would take a lodging in that place, during the four weeks he should stay in London, he would pay for me. Hereupon he took four servants; sometimes he was for marrying, sometimes for fighting; and if he could get one, who would kill the gentleman, he said he would give him two-hundred, nay, three-hundred dollars. There it rested for a while. He dismissed two of his servants, and was going for France, or Holland. The two servants continued without places. Six days after, I took leave of my acquaintance; and after my things had been two days on shipboard, I went to the Lutheran church, where I received a letter from Captain Vrats. O unhappy letter! The contents were as follow:

SIR,

I am sorry I could not have the honour to take my leave of you; but be it all to your advantage. I am going for France, yet have not as yet a certain commission. In the mean while, be pleased to continue, either at Mr. Block's, or the City of Amsterdam, where I will not fail to pay for all. I am, your obliged servant,

DE VRATS, alias DE VALLICKS.

He

After I had read this unhappy letter, I changed my resolution, and stayed here, and fetched my things from the ship, and went to lodge in Blackmore-street. About ten weeks after he returns to London, sends for me, and I came; and himself took a lodging in Westminster, where I was with him; and the count himself lay one night in the captain's and my lodging. The captain then asked me, how Thynn did? I told him I could not tell, for I had never seen him. Thereupon he told me, I must see now, how to order it, that I may come at him, if I could get but some stout fellows.-Do you know no Frenchmen about town, or what other people there is? I said, I would see. Then he added, could not one get an Italian, who might dispatch him, I would give him three or fourhundred dollars? I said, I knew none. Hereupon he got four brace of pistols, three little ones, and one brace of great ones. The great ones, and one brace of little ones, he had by him before, and two long swords; and then said, now he is a dead man. prayed me to cause two poniards to be made, whereof he gave me the draught, but I would not do it. And now he had a mind to draw in a great many more. At last I had a very strange ominous dream, He saw I was musing, and then asked me, what I ailed? I told him; and he laughed, saying, there was no heed to be given to dreams; yet the dream proved too true. Now, I saw, he was resolved to kill him; when, therefore, he importuned me to engage more men in the business, I told him, what can you do with so many people, cannot you take three horses, you will have use for no more? Hereupon he fetched out money, and on the Friday, before the murder was done, he bought three horses. On Sunday following, he told me, I shall get a brave fellow (that was the mi. serable Polonian) who came to town on Friday, and the Sunday after he killed the gentleman (according to order from his master, and you know who his master was) myself being, then, alas! in the company. Half an hour past four, the gentleman went by in his chariot before our window. Thereupon we went for the horses, and afterward rid toward the Pall-Mall, where we met the gentleman in his chariot. I rid before the coach, the captain went close by it, and then cried, hold, and shewed the Polonian the man in the coach; who thereupon gave fire, and shot four or five bullets into his body. They say he lived till next morning, and then died. On Monday following we were all taken prisoners, and now must die too; we have yet four days to live. The great God pardon us this sin, for Christ's sake. Amen. For I repent from the bottom of my heart, that in my old age, to which I was advanced with honour, I should come to this disaster: but it is done, and cannot