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I might here enlarge myself, by telling you what commendations our
learned Perkins bestows on angling: and how dear a lover, and great
practiser of it our learned Dr. Whitaker was; as indeed many others
of great learning have been. But I will content myself with two
memorable men, that lived near to our own time, whom I also take
to have been ornaments to the art of angling.
The first is Dr. Nowel, sometime dean of the cathedral church of
St. Paul's, in London, where his monument stands yet undefaced;
a man that, in the reformation of Queen Elizabeth, (1550) not that
of Henry VIII., was so noted for his meek spirit, deep learning,
prudence, and piety, that the then parliament and convocation, both,
chose, enjoined, and trusted him to be the man to make a catechism
for public use, such a one as should stand as a rule for faith and
manners to their posterity. And the good old man, though he was
very learned, yet knowing that God leads us not to heaven by many,
nor by hard questions---like an honest angler, made that good, plain,
unperplexed catechism, which is printed with our good old "Service-book."
I say, this good man was a dear lover, and constant practiser of
angling, as any age can produce. And his custom was to spend---besides
his fixed hours of prayer; those hours which, by command of the
Church were enjoined the clergy, and voluntarily dedicated to devotion
by many primitive Christians; I say, besides those hours this good
man was observed to spend a tenth part of his time in angling; and
also, (for I have conversed with those who have conversed with him,)
to bestowing a tenth part of his revenue, and usually all his fish,
amongst the poor that inhabited near to those rivers in which it
was caught; saying often, "That charity gave life to religion."
And, at his return to his house, would praise God he had spent that
day free from worldly trouble; both harmlessly, and in a recreation
that became a churchman. And this good man was well content, if
not desirous, that posterity should know he was an angler; as may
appear by his picture, now to be seen, and carefully kept in Brazenose
College; to which he was a liberal benefactor. In which picture
he is drawn,---leaning on a desk; with his bible before him; and
on one hand of him, his lines, hooks, and other tackling, lying
in a round; and, on his other hand, are his angle-rods of several
sorts, and by them this is written, "that he died 13th Feb.,
1601, being aged 95 years, 44 of which he had been dean of St. Paul's
church; and that his age neither impaired his hearing, nor dimmed
his eyes, nor weakened his memory, nor made any of the faculties
of his mind weak or useless." It is said that angling and temperance
were great causes of these blessings. And I wish the like to all
that imitate him, and love the memory of so good a man.
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