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quitted this valuable living without repining. After Bartholomew-day he preached in his own house, and soon died of a consumption.

DARTMOUTH. ST. PETROCK'S. [L:] Mr. JAMES BURDWOOD, of Pemb. Col. Oxford. He was of an ancient family, which had an estate at Preston in West-Allington, near Kingsbridge, which hath been in the name of the Burdwoods for many generations. He was born at Yarnacombe, in that parish, of religious parents, and had his grammarlearning at Kingsbridge school. When he left the university, he was for a while minister at Plympton St. Mary, near Plymouth. From thence he removed to Dartmouth, at the invitation of the magistrates of the town; where he continued till the Act of uniformity ejected him. Having a wife and children, he set up a Latin-school in Dartmouth, but was driven from thence by the Five-mile act. Upon which he had some thoughts of going, with several of his brethren, to America, and actually sold his estate in order to it, but was prevented. He then rented an estate at Batson in the parish of Marlborough, often saying, "It was "better for him and his to work, than to be burdensome to "others." There he staid five years, and preached gratis, in his own house, as long as he was permitted, to great numbers, who flocked to hear himn from the adjacent parts; and when his house could not contain them, he preached in his orchard. He met with some disturbance from the Quakers, of whom there were many in those parts, who often came into the meeting while he was preaching or praying, and when he had ended, would wrangle and dispute with him. He recovered some of his hearers, who were leaning towards them, and confirmed others. But one Beer or Bear (who had been for some time the head of the informers, and now, for his good service in disturbing conventicles, was advanced to the degree of a justice of the peace) together with another justice, the parson of the parish, a very busy man, and a crew of informers who were at their beck, occasioned him much trouble and vexation; unhung his doors, rifled his house, seized and carried away his goods, wrenched off the locks of his barn-doors, putting others on, and forced his wife and children to seek shelter among their neighbours.

On Sept. 11, 1670, a crew of informers and plunderers came to his house, where they found him with no more than four persons, besides his own family, singing a psalm. But

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somebody in the house opening the door to let in a dog which had set upon a girl passing by, the girl being affrighted got in too, and the informers at her heels. For this accidental addition to the number, the worshipful new justice made a conviction for a conventicle, and levied 207. upon Mr. Burdwood for preaching, 201. more for his house, and 5s. a-piece upon the rest. When the justice himself used to go into the meeting with his train, he and they gave vent to their malice, in abusive and reproachful language. But the good man bore all these affronts and indignities with patience and chearfulness, taking joyfully the spoiling of his ' goods;' praying God to forgive his persecutors.-When he could stay no longer at Batson, he removed to Hicks Down, about a mile from Begbury, where he took another farm. During his seven years residence here, his old enemies gave him new trouble. One fine of 201. and another of 50l. was levied upon him and his hearers. A rude company entered his house, and went from room to room, seizing on all he had within doors, and without. Good security was offered, if they would leave his live goods in his ground till the next morning, but it was not accepted. However, the next day lieutenant-colonel Waring, an acquaintance of his landlord, came and freed all. He kept on preaching after this, as the times would bear; and at length returned to Dartmouth, where, after a respite of about three years, he again met with hard treatment, but had great respect and kindness shewn him by Mr. T. Boone, a neighbouring gentleman. and his family. Being obliged to give up house-keeping, Dr. Richard Barthogge, who had a great value for him, entertained him and his wife, with some of his children, at his house at Bowden, near Totness, for almost two years. Towards the latter end of that term, he was seized with a violent fit of the stone and strangury. When he found himself a little recovered, he returned once more to Dartmouth; but his weakness and pains soon returned, and wholly took him off from public work, nor did these distempers totally leave him to the time of his death. He bore his afflictions with admirable patience; acknowledging, "That they proceeded from a loving Father; that he deserved much worse at his hand, and that he hoped this would be all the Hell he should suffer." For many years he was burdened with very heavy expences; and yet he would often say, "Hitherto I and "mine have not wanted any thing." And once when reduced to great straits, he expressed himself thus: "I have

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"lost estate, relations, and health, and yet God is my God "still. I am a broken vessel, fit for no work, but suffering: Lord, I submit, I submit." Among several other remarkable sayings, one that was often used by him was this: "'Tis better to be preserved in brine, than to rot in honey." After having endured the most exquisite torments from the strangury, God was pleased at length to release him. Aug. 21, 1693, in the 67th year of his age, at the place of his ejectment. His funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Thomas Chapman.

He had good abilities for the pulpit, and was a practical popular preacher. His carriage was exemplary, and his judgment held in such esteem, that his advice was desired by all about him. He was very humble, and eminently faithful, yet prudent in giving reproof. He had seventeen children, but three only survived him. He was a very tender father to them, and greatly concerned about their souls; daily putting up earnest prayers for them with tears. All of them who lived to years of discretion, gave him ground to hope that a good work was wrought in them. He declared he had rather see them all in their graves, than that they should live to hold a 'candle to a Popish priest. He bore the death of those whom God was pleased to take from him with remarkable resignation, and preached their funeral sermons himself. He was never imprisoned nor apprehended, though often searched after, and was sometimes strangely preserved. The severe sufferings which he endured, made him the more able to pen those books entitled, Heart's ease—and Helps for Faith in Times of Affliction.

--ST. SAVIOUR'S. ALLAN GEARE, M. A. He was born of honest and religious parents, at Stoke Fleming near Dartmouth, in 1622, and at first intended only for a gentleman's clerk. Being qualified for that employment, at about fourteen he was recommended to Mr. Francis Rous, Provost of Eaton College, and by him to Sir Alexander Carew, Bart. of Anthony near Plymouth. The old gentleman finding him ingenious, and of a good capacity, instructed him in Latin himself, and he made great progress in a short time. After four years residence at Anthony, the old baronet dying, and the family becoming obnoxious to government, in the beginning of the troubles in 1640, he went into Holland for shelter, and for farther education, with a grandson of the deceased gentleman, of about seven years old, and with the

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charge of 1000l. in money, and plate to the same value. Upon his coming thither, he entered himself in the university of Leyden, became guardian to the young gentleman, took good lodgings, and made a considerable appearance. Having continued a student eight years, he took his degree of M. A. and was afterwards admitted ad eundum at Oxford. While he was in Holland he got into the particular acquaintance of the famous Mr. Cann, then pastor of the English church at Amsterdam; to whose daughter (a very deserving woman) he paid his addresses, and after his return to England he married her. Soon afterwards he was chosen minister of Paul's Wharf in London, where he was ordained by Mr. Matthew Poole, &c. He remained there six years, well respected, and was in high repute among his brethren.: Not enjoying his health well in the city, he removed to Wooburn in Bedfordshire, and was chaplain to the earl of Bedford about two years. Mr. Hartford, the minister of Dartmouth, dying in the year 1656, Mr. John Howe and Mr. Robert Jagoe, (the latter of whom conformed after the restoration) were proposed as candidates there, and had an equal number of voices, The town was at a great loss, for neither side was willing to yield. Mr. T. Boon (Mr. Howe's great friend at Dartmouth, and his near relation by marriage) having been with Oliver Cromwell, took the opportunity of mentioning to him the difficulty they were in at Dartmouth, and at the same time gave such a character of Mr. Howe, as raised in the protector an earnest desire to see him, and to hear him preach; upon which, he said, he would give his judgment in the case. Mr. Boon signified that Mr. Howe intended to be at the chapel as an auditor, the next Lord's day. He accordingly was, when the protector sent for him, and desired a sermon from him. [Mr. Howe begged to be excused, and pleaded the necessity of his return home; but the protector over-ruled his pleasy and] was so charmed with his performance, that he declared Mr. Howe should not go to Dartmouth, but should be his chaplain; and soon after signified to the people of that town, his unwillingness to have Mr. Jagoe his competitor settled there. Thus the contest ended, and the town was at liberty to proceed to a new choice,

§ The account given in the former edition, vol. I. p. 351, which represents Mr. Howe in an unfavourable light, as if he was too anxious to please the protector, is here omitted, as it does not well accord with that great man's general character, nor with the statement of this affair by Dr. Calamy himself, in his MEMOIRS of the LIFE of Mr. Howe, printed 1724, P. 17.

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which fell upon Mr. Geare. Mr. Joseph Cubit, then mayor, and Mr. Barnes, one of the magistrates, took a journey to Wooburn to invite and treat with him. He accepted their call, and sent Mr. Ford to officiate in his room, till such time as he could remove thither. In about six months Mr. Geare went to Dartmouth with his family, and was highly respected by the inhabitants of the town, and by the neighbouring ministers, having the character of a universal scholar, an able preacher, and an eminently pious man.

After his ejectment in 1662, he had offers of great preferment if he would conform, but he could not be moved by any solicitations, judging the terms required unlawful; and he expressed great satisfaction in his Nonconformity on his death-bed. He met with hard measure for preaching a sermon on a Lord's day after the public service was ended. Some of the magistrates informed against him, whereupon he was summoned, and appeared before the commissioners at Exeter, in very severe weather; whereby he got such a grievous cold as threw him into a violent fever, which in a fortnight put a period to his valuable life, towards the end of December 1662, when he was about forty years of age. He left a widow and five children. His being buried in the church-yard was much opposed by some; but at length, with no small difficulty, it was obtained. Mr. Flavel was his intimate friend.

WORKS. He was concerned with Mr. Calamy and others, in a Preface to some of Mr. Christopher Love's Posthumous Works. He translated the Dutch Annotations on the Bible, for which he was paid 601. He left behind him a fair MS. against the Baptists, dated at Leyden.

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** TOWNSTALL, [alias ST. CLEMENTS, R.] JOHN FLAVEL, B. A. of University Col. Oxford. He was a native of Worcestershire, where his father was an eminent minister, first at Bromsgrove, and afterwards at Hasler. He was first assistant to Mr. Walplate at Diptford in Devonshire, in 1650, and ordained with several others at Salisbury, Oct. 17, in the same year. On Mr. Walplate's death, he succeeded in this rectory; but, upon an unanimous call, he removed to Dartmouth, where there was a larger sphere of usefulness, though the benefice was smaller. He was settled here by the Commissioners for the approbation of public preachers, having an order from Whitehall, dated Dec. 10, 1650, in conjunction with Mr. Allan Geare. Mr. Flavel preached every Lord's-day at Townstall, (which is the mo

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