She continued his disconsolate widow about six years, bemoaning herself, and complaining, that she had lost the delight of her eyes; but more that she had lost the spiritual guide for her poor soul; and would often say, “O that I had, like holy Mary, the Mother of Jesus, treasured up all his sayings in my heart!  But since I have not been able to do that, I will labour to live like him, that where he now is I may be also.”  And she would often say,—­as the Prophet David for his son Absalom,—­“O that I had died for him!” Thus she continued mourning till time and conversation had so moderated her sorrows, that she became the happy wife of Sir Robert Cook, of Highnam, in the County of Gloucester, Knight.  And though he put a high value on the excellent accomplishments of her mind and body, and was so like Mr. Herbert, as not to govern like a master, but as an affectionate husband; yet she would even to him often take occasion to mention the name of Mr. George Herbert, and say, that name must live in her memory till she put off mortality.  By Sir Robert she had only one child, a daughter, whose parts and plentiful estate make her happy in this world, and her well using of them gives a fair testimony that she will be so in that which is to come.

Mrs. Herbert was the wife of Sir Robert eight years, and lived his widow about fifteen; all which time she took a pleasure in mentioning and commending the excellencies of Mr. George Herbert.  She died in the year 1663, and lies buried at Highnam:  Mr. Herbert in his own Church, under the altar, and covered with a gravestone without any inscription.

[Sidenote:  Lost relics]

This Lady Cook had preserved many of Mr. Herbert’s private writings, which she intended to make public; but they and Highnam House were burnt together by the late rebels, and so lost to posterity.

I.W.

[Footnote 1:  A fortress first erected by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury, under William I., to secure his conquests in Wales, though it was twice partly destroyed by the Welsh.  It stands near the Severn, on a gentle ascent, having a fair prospect over the plain beneath.  The order of Parliament for its destruction was made June 11th, 1649.]

[Footnote 2:  That eloquent and acute biographer, Edmund Lodge, thus truly gives the character of Lord Herbert of Cherbury.  “Of that anomaly of character by the abundance and variety of which foreigners are pleased to tell us that our country is distinguished, we meet with few examples more striking than in the subject of this memoir—­wise and unsteady; prudent and careless; a philosopher, with ungovernable and ridiculous prejudices; a good humoured man, who even sought occasions to shed the blood of his fellow creatures; a deist, with superstition too gross for the most secluded cloister.  These observations are not founded on the report of others, but on the fragment which remains of his own sketch of his life,—­a piece of infinite curiosity.”  His autobiography has been edited by Horace Walpole and Scott.  He is also the author of a volume of poems written in the style of Donne, frequently marred by harsh rhythm and violent conceits, but occasionally displaying artistic excellence of a very high order.]