Catalogue description NOTES TOUCHING JOHN COTTON.

This record is held by Lincolnshire Archives

Details of 8ANC7/165-167
Reference: 8ANC7/165-167
Title: NOTES TOUCHING JOHN COTTON.
Description:

--On April 8, 1609, the King's Premonitory Epistle was published in English, and the Latin one soon after. Mr. George Cotton, father to John, died at Christmas 1609, therefore, John Cotton might have eight months for reading and considering the book, and the whole of the next year, during which he stayed at Warblington, for the penning some part of it.

 

Balaam's Asse is evidently the work of a lay papist, and dedicated to a King. It consisteth of several matters, and there are many expositions of the Revelation and other places of the Scripture, " which are rather forced out of wit than gathered by reading." It is an intended refutation of the King's book, and must have required a great deal of time, especially as it is written in a counterfeit hand.

 

" Now himself saith* that this whole book, except six leaves of the end, was finished in August 1612, so that Mr. Copley was conversant with John Cotton half the time between the publishing the King's book and the perfecting of Balaam's Asse, and therefore the papers whereabout John Cotton so laboured and which he kept so carefully from [Copley] seeing, might either be part of the very book ; as now it is written, or some foul copy of the same. Again it is most likely that John Cotton, upon the very first coming out of the King's book would read it, being such a student of controversies as he is. And then growing in dislike of it, would soon resolve to give answer to some parts thereof, which he might begin with speed, but must have time to bring such a work unto the conclusion."

 

In the 84th page of Balaam's Asse he saith that death, destruction and desolation had fallen upon this Kingdom. Death, he expounds of the plague in the first year of the King's reign; destruction, of the great frost and sudden thaw; and desolation, of the great innundation. All these are said to be in the first seven years of the King's reign, " which, as it seemeth were fresh in his mind in the seventh and eighth years of the King, at which time it is most likely he first entered this work. 1¼ pp. Also other rough notes.

 

Endorsed:--" The last collection touching Cotton."

 

*"In the preface to Balaam's Asse." Marginal note by the Archbishop.

Date: [After 1613]
Held by: Lincolnshire Archives, not available at The National Archives
Language: English

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