Richard  Southgate
that  his  old  servant  *  *  (blotted)  *  *  Miller  is  now  the
preacher  at  Battisford  one  Lord's  day  &  at  Biddeston  on  the
other  with  great  approbation. I  heard  a  person  say  that  he
delivered  such  good  matter  and  in  such  handsome  language  and
with  such  a  good  voyce  as  it  might  be  thought  almost  a  miracle
considering  what  he  was  a  few  years  back  and  now  I  have
mallancolly  news  to  tell  viz  that  good  Mr. Hicks  is  dead  he  was
seized  with  a  lethergy  on  his  return  from  his  own  country  was
brought  home  in  a  coach  I  think  on  Friday  and  died  on  the
Lords  day  following  was  buried  in  Denton  meeting  house  in  a
place  where  himself  chose  in  the  time  of  his  health  his  funeral
sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev. Mr. Heard  of  Bury  out  of
Genesis  5  :  24  a  great  number  of  people  attended  his  funerall
who  made  great  lamentation  he  left  an  extraordinary  good
carracter  behind  him  and  p'  of  his  carracter  is  said  to  be  that  he
was  an  exceeding  accomplisht  man  both  with  respect  to  grace  &
learning  but  himself  did  uot  know  it  but  he  is  taken  away  from
the  evil  to  come. The  case  of  the  nation  is  very  malancolly  our
high  people  are  exceeding  high  &  it  is  thought  there  is  some


DEEDS,    WILLS,    ETC. 71

grand  design  on  foot  they  strick  openly  against  Sr  R. W — 11
but  its  thought  they  design  to  wound  if  not  to  kill  his  great
master,  they  insinuate  that  both  houses  of  pu. are  bribed  to  act
for  the  court  interest  the  names  of  whigg  and  torye  are  out  of
use  now  tis  said  to  be  king  and  country  and  thus  they  putt  out
the  eyes  of  the  people  whilst  they  pretend  to  open  them  they
now  digg  deep  to  hide  their  councill  from  the  Lord  but  he
behold  it  all  but  whether  he  will  again  turn  it  headlong  who  can
tell. Many  a  time  has  he  delivered  this  land  but  we  have  highly
provokt  him  by  our  multiply4,  transgressions  soe  that  he  may
justly  turn  to  be  our  enemy  and  fight  against  us. May  we  be
fitted  for  whatsoever  his  pleasure  is. 