I confess that it contributes much to my Peace of Soul, that we were reconcil’d before his Departure from this Stage of Business and of Life.  The Reader will hereby understand that Sir John is dead:  It is for this Reason that I appear in his Dress, that I assume his Habit de Guerre, for Sir John chose me, from among all Men living, to be his sole Executor.  The Printer had no black Letter by him, otherwise this Paper (as in Decency it ought) should have appear’d in Mourning:  however I shall use as much Ceremony as the Time will allow; and, as Hob did in the Farce by the Man that hang’d himself, I take up his Cloak, and am chief Mourner.

We never can do the Memory of a Great Man more Justice, than by being particular in his Conduct and Behaviour at the Point of Death.  Sir John, tho’ a Wit, took no Pains to shew it at his latest Hour, that is, he did not dye like one of those prophane Wits, who bid the Curtains be drawn, and said the Farce of Life was ended.  This is making our Warfare too slight and ludicrous:  He departed with more Grace, and, like the memorable Type of his Prudence, Don Quixote de la Mancha, where he perceiv’d his Sand was running out, he repented the Extravagance of his Knight-Errantry, and ingenuously confess’d his Family Name.  He seem’d entirely dispos’d to dye in his Wits, and no doubt, did so:  tho’ by Intervals, ’tis thought he was a little delirious, talk’d of taking Coach to Fishmongers Hall, broke into imperfect Sentences about Annuities and South-Sea, and mutter’d something to himself of making Dividends of Ten per Cent at least six times a Year.

If Sir John appear’d by all the Actions of his Life a Friend to Mankind, he certainly did so in a great Measure at his Death, by the charitable Disposition of what he died possess’d.  I have given an Abridgment of his Will, that the World may see he left his Legacies only where they were truly wanted:  Neither Favour nor Prejudice had any Influence over him in his last Minutes, but he had nothing more at Heart than the Necessities of his Legatees.

’In Nomini Domini, Amen.  I John Edgar, &c. Knight, being sound in Body, but imperfect of Mind and Memory, do make this my last Will, &c.

’Item, As to such personal Estate which I have the good Fortune to leave behind me, I give and dispose thereof, as follows:  And, best, I give and bequeath all and singular my Projects to the Society of Stockjobbers, Share and Share alike, because I am sure they will be never the better for them.

’Item, I give and bequeath all my Right, Property and Share in the transparent Bee-hive to my indulgent Friend and Patron, his Grace the Duke of ——­, because he has taken such a particular Fancy to it.

’Item, I give and bequeath the full Profit of all those Plays which I have Intentions of writing, if it shall happen that I live to the Poor of the Parish in which I shall dye:  desiring it may be distributed by my Executor, and not come into the Hands of the Church-wardens.