the three remaining books of Polity, writ by her husband:  of which she would not, or could not, give any account:  and that about three months after that time the Bishop procured her to be sent for to London, and then by his procurement she was to be examined by some of her Majesty’s Council, concerning the disposal of those books:  but, by way of preparation for the next day’s examination, the Bishop invited her to Lambeth, and after some friendly questions, she confessed to him, that one Mr. Charke, and another Minister that dwelt near Canterbury, came to her, and desired that they might go into her husband’s study, and look upon some of his writings:  and that there they two burnt and tore many of them, assuring her, that they were writings not fit to be seen:  and that she knew nothing more concerning them.  Her lodging was then in King street in Westminster, where she was found next morning dead in her bed, and her new husband suspected and questioned for it; but he was declared innocent of her death.

[Sidenote:  Those of Polity]

And I declare also, that Dr. John Spencer,—­mentioned in the Life of Mr. Hooker,—­who was of Mr. Hooker’s College, and of his time there, and betwixt whom there was so friendly a friendship, that they continually advised together in all their studies, and particularly in what concerned these books of Polity—­this Dr. Spencer, the Three perfect books being lost, had delivered into his hands—­I think by Bishop Whitgift—­the imperfect books, or first rough draughts of them, to be made as perfect as they might be by him, who both knew Mr. Hooker’s handwriting, and was best acquainted with his intentions.  And a fair testimony of this may appear by an Epistle, first, and usually printed before Mr. Hooker’s Five books,—­but omitted, I know not why, in the last impression of the Eight printed together in anno 1662, in which the Publishers seem to impose the three doubtful books, to be the undoubted books of Mr. Hooker,—­with these two letters, J.S. at the end of the said Epistle, which was meant for this John Spencer:  in which Epistle the Reader may find these words, which may give some authority to what I have here written of his last Three books.

[Sidenote:  “J.S.,” his Epistle]

“And though Mr. Hooker hastened his own death by hastening to give life to his books, yet he held out with his eyes to behold these Benjamins, these sons of his right hand, though to him they proved Benonies, sons of pain and sorrow.  But some evil-disposed minds, whether of malice or covetousness, or wicked blind zeal, it is uncertain, as soon as they were born, and their father dead, smothered them, and by conveying the perfect copies, left unto us nothing but the old, imperfect, mangled draughts, dismembered into pieces; no favour, no grace, not the shadow of themselves remaining in them.  Had the father lived to behold them thus defaced, he might rightly have named them Benonies, the sons of sorrow: