The Lives of Sundry Eminent Persons, Part 2 · Biography 3
The Life and Death of John Lamot, Esq; who died Anno Christi, 1655.
IOhn Lamot, Esq; and sometime Alderman in the City of London, was born at Colchester in the County of Essex, May the 1. Anno Christi 1577. His Father was Francis Lamot, Son of Baldwin Lamot of Ypres, a famous City in Flanders, who in the time of His Parentage.great Persecution in the Low Countries under the bloody and cruel Duke de Alva, was driven out of his Native Country, an… came together with his Wife Mary, to shelter themselves and to enjoy the free Profession of the true Protestant Religion (for which they had left the fruition, and possession of all their Temporal, and worldly goods and enjoyments, which were very considerable) under the protection of that famous Nursing-Mother of Gods afflicted Children in those bloody times, Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory, here in England, in the fourth year of her Reign; taken up his Residence at Colchester aforesaid, where he lived many years in very good esteem, and was very forward and industrious in setting up and promoting the great and useful Manufacture of making Sayes, and Bayes, first brought into England by those Exiles for the great good and profit of our Nation: and God exceedingly blessed him, not only in his Calling, but in giving him a hopeful issue. He died in a good Old Age in London.
Now as both these Parents had made Piety their chiefest, and greatest interest, and the free exercise of Religion their best purchase, so they were alwayes exceeding diligent His Education.and solicitous to season their Children, and this their Son John especially, from the very Cradle, with the knowledge, fear, and nurture of the Lord, and that with such a blessed success upon their godly labours, that they hereby found the seeds of Piety springing up in him, which being watered by the constant use of the publick Ordinances, by Gods grace and blessing, continued and grew up to maturity, and he never departed from it to his dying day.
His carriage and deportment through the whole course of his Life, both in his general and particular Calling, and in all his Relations, was not only inoffensive but exemplary. His holy carriage in his youth.For even in his younger years, he was never given to, nor delighted with those vain and sinful sports and pastimes to which youth ordinarily is too much addicted, and so hard to be weaned from. His usual Recreation was to turn from one honest, or pious employment to another. He was from his youth brought up to the Calling of a Merchant, and was alwayes very careful, active, and industrious therein. And when he had leisure from it, or was tired with it, he would betake himself to reading the sacred Scriptures; To learning Languages, or reading best Histories, especially such as treated of the Persecutions, His industry.and deliverances of the Church of God: And that shewed how the Gospel was propagated and spread from one Country to another: All which he made (in a manner) his own: Such delight he took, both in the perusal, and rehersal of the same upon all occasions; and yet these were no hindrance to his attendance upon the publick Ordinances, whereby he might nourish Communion with God at any time.
He used often to bless God, for that according to his earnest prayers, when he Thanksgiving.came first to London, he had kept him from bad Company, and from all allurements, and engaging occasions of haunting Taverns, and such like places of Debauchery, whereby so many young men came to be ruin'd and undone.
When he was grown up to some greater maturity of years, and grace, and of acquaintance with God, he began to Trade for himself; wherein his singular care and punctual exactness in keeping his word and promise; His industry and prudence in managing his affairs, was soon taken notice of, and he had more credit given him in his first beginning, than many who had been for some time Traders before him. Every one was ready, yea, desirous to trust him, and to deal with him; which great advantage he nevertheless used soberly and moderately, undertaking no more, than he was able His Prudence.to mannage, and what he had once undertaken, he with all vigilance, and industry attended, following the Duties of his Calling diligently, and Gods blessing did so accompany his endeavours, and affairs, that his Estate encreased apace, and yet he would often say, that he was not hastily rich.
Having thus spent some time in hi… wordly affairs, by Gods good providence and direction His Marriage.he was guided to marry a Gentlewoman who had the benefit of the like good and pious education and disposition; and one that came of a Stock also, tryed, and grown up under Persecution: Her Name was Mrs. Ann Tivelin, whose Parents also flying into England for shelter, had setled themselves at Canterbury. She was now the Widdow of Mr. David King, Merchant, when Mr. Lamot married her.
With this pious Consort he lived comfortably many years, and had by her several His Children.gracious Children, eight in all, whereof six (namely, two Sons, and four Daughters) died in their minority. The two Daughters which survived, the Elder Hester, who was first married to John Manning, Esq; an eminent Merchant of the City of London, by whom she had three Children, but they all died before him. And after his Decease, she was married to Sir Thomas Honywood, Knight, of Marks-hal in Essex, who lived long and happily together, much beloved and honoured by all that knew them: By him she had seven Children, of whom two Sons and one Daughter survived the rest. The younger Daughter (Elizabeth) was married to a worthy Gentleman, Mr. Maurice Abbot (Son to Sir Maurice Abbot, sometime Lord Mayor, and an honourable Alderman of the City of London, and Brother to those two famous Abbots, Doctor George Abbot, Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and Doctor Robert Abbot, the eminently Learned, Bishop of Salisbury) His Issue.and she her self not long surviving, was exceedingly bewailed, for her singular Parts and Piety. Thus tho our Mr. Lamot, left but only one Daughter surviving, and four Grand-children, yet he lived to see two and twenty that proceeded out of his Loins.
Mr. Lamot's first Wife deceasing about the year, 1626. The year after he married His second Marriage.Mrs. Elizabeth Monk, the Widdow of Levinus Monk Esq; one of the six Clerks, a Gentleman of rare Parts, and of great experience, and trust in State Affairs in King Jame's his time, with her he lived eighteen years, but had no issue by her.
During all this time, as he still advanced, and increased in the said Piety, Experience, and Estate, so (by Gods good Providence, and blessing upon him) he was accordingly respected, and honoured: He bore and passed through with credit all the chief Offices in his Parish, Company, and elsewhere in the City and Commonwealth, and at His Offices.last he was chosen Alderman of the City. He was also one of the Elders of the Dutch Church in London, in which Office he served that Congregation for near thirty years together, with so much integrity, diligence, and zeal, as will not easily be paralleld, His Integrity.nor soon forgotten. And in all his other Offices he still demeaned himself duplicate page duplicate page unblameably, being equally desirous, and zealous to advance Piety and Justice, Godliness and Honesty, and to oppose and reform iniquity, and abuses of what kind soever.
For the nourishment and encrease of Piety in his Soul, and maintaining Communion His holy Dutieswith God, he was constant and diligent in attendance upon the publick Ordinance and means of Grace, not only in the Dutch Church, whereof he was made a Member, but also in the Parish Church wherein his Habitation was, and wherein were several Lectures, which he frequented, as I my self observed, who was his near Neighbour for many years. And in private by reading the Scripture, and meditating therein, he had so possessed and filled his soul with an heavenly Treasure, that most of his Discourses, and letters to his Friends, favoured of an heavenly frame of heart, as one that had his Conversation in Heaven, whilst his Commoration was upon the earth: And he often expressed a great deal of heart-grief and astonishment, at most mens heedlesness His Zeal.and negligence about businesses and duties that did so much and so nearly concern the everlasting salvation of their precious, and immortal souls.
His real piety and acquaintance with God appeared sufficiently, as by many other discoveries; so in a special manner by those streams of true Christian charity, which His Charity.freely, and uncessantly flowed from him, as water from the fountain; or Life-hony that droppeth from the Combs without pressing. Yea, he was not only willing and ready to communicate, and impart himself to the wants and necessities of such as were in distress, but was a great provoker, and encourager of others to the like duty; setting (all as it were) on fire with compassion that came near him.
But his bounty did never run so freely as in those times wherein any publick calamities befel the Church and people of God: No care, no trouble, no pains, no cost was then judged too much, whereby he might testifie his Sympathizing bowels with His Sympathy.them, for their sorrows and afflictions, whether at home or abroad. They which are strangers to a bountiful heart, will scarce believe what sums of money he disbursed in works of Charity since the year 1620, in the respective Persecutions, and troubles in France, at Rochel, in the Valtoline, in Bohemia, in Germany: And more particularly in the Lower, and Ʋpper Palatinate: And therein, above other places, in the long continued distresses of the City of Frankendale: Besides many other Cases nearer home in England, Scotland, and Ireland: And in that cruel and barbarous Massacre in Piemont, not long before his death, when a general Collection was made for those poor Creatures who survived that storm, the Minister and some other of the Parish wherein he lived [Saint Bartholomews Exchange] going to his house to see what he would contribute, and sending up word to him, what was the occasion of their coming, he came to His Bounty.them, and told them that they had a Collection in the Dutch Congregation for them, where he had contributed twenty pound. And (saith he) the Devil hath tempted me to put you off with this Answer; but he shall not prevail, and therefore here is ten pound for you more upon this occasion. This was told me by the Minister [Mr. Thomas Cauton] a day or two after.
And that God who gave him such largness of heart and freeness of hand, gave him also wisdom and understanding, to mannage and order all his affairs with discretion. His Prudence.He knew both when and where to spend, by which prudence he was still able to do more good; And he always found, and acknowledged both the Temporal, and Spiritual returns, and comforts of this his Beneficence. And this made him always (as God blessed him) to lay aside a part and portion, which he as truly and carefully distributed upon the first opportunity, that tendred themselves to him.
But if God was pleased at any time to exercise him with Crosses and Losses of any kind, in his outward estate (whereof he had his share among other of Gods dear Children) by casualties at Sea or Land, at home and abroad; in his several employments, or in his Relations; and especially in his body by divers great infirmities, and sicknesses, principally toward, and in the latter part of his life; yet in all these he shewed abundance of Christian patience, and holy submission to the good hand and pleasure His patience.of the All-wise God and his heavenly Father, and merciful Redeemer: Comforting himself very much by meditating upon the Example of Jacob, Joseph, Job, David, &c. and of others of Gods faithful Saints, and Servants in all Ages, who had drunk of the same Cup before him; with whose Histories he was exactly acquainted.
He was frequent in praising God for his mercies extended to his outward man, His thankfulness.who had so long vouchsafed, and continued to him the blessing of his sight and hearing in such a good and comfortable measure, as that thereby he could partake of, and enjoy the benefit of Gods holy Ordinances both in publick and private: And for his inward man, that in all his troubles and afflictions, God never long withdrew, or withheld his Gra…ious and Fatherly countenance from him, in Jesus Christ, whereby he found sufficient comfort to ballance and allay all his grief, and to prevent all murmurings and repinings in his greatest troubles.
In the time of his last sickness, he did not much vent himself by discourses: But retired His last sickness.themselves and unbosomed his heart, and spread his condition before the Lord in Prayer. About three weeks before his Decease he was sorely afflicted with the Head-ach, in extremity, and with the Cholick, in so much as he began to find some impatience to seize upon him; But he soon recollected his thoughts, and checked himself, saying: How often, and how fervently have I besought the Lord, that he would be pleased to fit and prepare me for himself, and for his everlasting Kingdom; And why then should I find fault, and repine against his Dispensations, now when he thus really and effectually doth prepare me, making me by these very pains and torments, to loath this wretched world so much the more, and to long for my blessed and happy change and dissolution, and to be with His Death.my Redeemer. And thus he continued for the most part longing to be with. Jesus Christ, even to his last hour, which was July the 13th. Anno Christi 1655. in the seventy ninth His Faith.year of his Age.
When death came, he looked it in the Face without consternation, as of which he was not afraid, being implanted into Christ, and thereby freed from the slavish fear of death. His Meditations and his Speeches were much upon this subject, whereby he laboured to familiarize Death both to himself and others; knowing that this was a very effectual means to make us apply our hearts to wisdom, that is to say, to the fear of God, the only Antidote against all base and servile fears.
And as in his troubles and afflictions he shewed a great deal of filial submission to the good will and pleasure of God, his heavenly Father; so it was a great Comfort and refreshing to all that conversed with him, to observe and hear his continual Thankful Remembrances of Gods Mercies and Goodness to the Church, whether abroad or at Thankfulness.home: And to that Land or Nation wherein he lived: As also to any of his near Relations, or dear Friends, as well as to his own Person. This was a string that he would be often touching: An Argument he delighted to hear and speak of: He would ever and anon cry out most feelingly. O what cause have we to bless and praise our good and merciful God, who yet preserveth, delights in, delivers and favours us, and passes by and forgives our manifold infirmities, trangressions, and provocations, which are aggravated by our great and brutish ingratitude! O that at the length we would love him, believe in him, and walk in his fear and obedience to our everlasting happiness.His Feasts.
Every year upon the 17th of November, which was the day when Queen Elizabeth came to the Crown, that put an end to the Maryan Persecution, he made a Feast. And before it was ended he would stand up and tell his Guests, what cause there was of rejoicing upon that day for Gods signal mercy shewed to England, in restoring the Light of the Gospel; Quenching the Fires in Smithfield, and continuing the Peace and Liberty of the Gospel for so many years, the Number whereof he would alwayes tell them what it was. Also upon other occasions of joy he would invite, and freely entertain his Friends, and tell them that he desired their Company to eat Bread with him before the Lord (as Jethro, and Moses did): And would take occasion to speak of some signal Mercies and Deliverances, whereof his Memory was a Living Library, especially of those grand Deliverances, both before and since the Reformation of Religion in England: As also the Deliverances of the Protestants in France, and in the Low Covntries, whereof he would often Discourse in so punctual, and feeling a manner, as if himself had been an Eye witness, yea, a sharer in them: Taking and using many Arguments from thence to stir up himself and others to have a sense and feeling of the Bonds and Miseries of others, remembring that themselves are in the body: And he would say, that their case might have been ours: And who knows but that it may yet be?
He would often with holy Admiration and Thankfulness take notice of this Mercy, that when his Father (being for Religion forced to fly for his Life) stood doubtful (as many others did) whether he should repair for shelter, to Frankendale in the Palatinate, or into England, God was pleased to direct, and incline his heart to make choice of England for his place of Refuge: And this Mercy was much heightned, considering the sad calamities and miseries that that place and Country afterwards fell into. And this made him to have the greater fellow-felling of their calamities, wherein himself and his might have been involved: whereas on the contrary, God had not only kept him and his in peace and safety, but had exceedingly blessed him in his outward Estate: And this made him very mindful and careful to send them relief upon all occasions.Prudence.
Together with all these eminent Graces, God had likewise endowed him with a large portion of Wisdom, Judgment, and Understanding, in many things of moment and importance, grounded upon much experience, observation, and practice of his own, for which he was deservedly much esteemed by men of no small place, and account: He still brought out of his Treasury things both New and Old; and knew how so pertinently to apply, produce, and compare the same, that it was a great pleasure, and no less profit to hear him discoursing of the same.
His pious and indefatigable care and pains which he took in bringing up his Children, Piety.and governing his Family in the fear and admonition of the Lord, was in part hinted before. And truly his constant endeavour was to bring them into acquaintance, and communion with God, and to make them to stand in a filial awe of him: He called frequently upon them to read and meditate, and delight themselves in the word of God: To be well grounded, and setled in Religion, that they might not be carried about with every wind of Doctrine. As also he admonished them to fly and shun all Idle courses, company, and dalliances. To be painful, careful, and diligent in the Duties of their perticular Callings, and Imployments: To be exact and orderly in all their Affairs: Sober and frugal in the use of all Gods good Creatures: Full of bowels of pity and compassion to the afflicted and distressed Members of Christ, and in general, to all that were in need: That they should be cheerful and ready to Communicate to all such: To be loving and helpful one to another; Obedient to all good Orders; Submissive to Magistrates and to all in Authority; Respectful to Ministry; Civil and Upright in their dealings with all; And watchful at all times; to be in a readiness whensoever the Lord should call them hence, to give an account of their Stewardships, &c. And he would tell them, that in all these things he exhorted them to no more than himself endeavoured daily to practice before their Eyes. And that the great care which he had, both for their Souls and Bodies might remain with them after his Decease, not long before he died he left this Letter to his Daughter and Grand-Children for their Instruction.
Beloved Daughter, Dame Hester Honywood, and Beloved Grand-Children Maurice Abbot, and Elizabeth, Thomas, John Lamot Honywood, I do wish you all the blessing and peace of Children dearly loved.God the Father, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, his dear Son, our Saviour and Redeemer: And that his fear and love may be so rooted, and grounded in you, that it may knit, and bind your hearts together in love and amity, as my heart hath been to every one of you; ever praying for you all, that God of his mercy would bless you all, and plant his fear in your hearts, and unfeigned faith in Christ Jesus in your souls.
I desire that no strife, nor envy, nor grudging arise about the dividing of the Estate which the Lord of his mercy hath lent me. For I setled my Land after prayer, by the best Counsels and advise I could: And my personal estate I have by Will (after Prayer) to the best of my skill, in all good Conscience, as equally drawn it as I could; so I would, after I am dead, have you receive it from God, with a thankful and contented mind, and pray to the Lord to bless it to you, and every one of you to his own Posterity. I having been by Trade a Merchant; what by Gods blessing I have advanced, I have endeavoured, and laboured to gain it honestly, and to keep faith, and a good conscience alwayes, ever acknowledging that these following Parties had a share in my Estate, as in all other mens, viz. The Commonwealth, the Service of God, the Ministers, and the poor Members Christ; of whom, as I have endeavoured to be careful, so would I have every one of you to be zealous for the service of God, heartily affectionate to the poor Members of Christ; And to give, with the Relief, a comfortable word, when occasion permits.
John Lamot. A Good Name is better than precious Ointment: And the day of death, than the day of ones Birth, Eccles 7. 1.