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little remarkable that, though the deposed Primate prayed for his friend's safety, he expressed no conviction of his friend's innocence. The Nonjurors, as we have seen, had been treated with consideration and kindness. Though forfeiting their Sees in February, 1690, after which successors were nominated, the Prelates of the party were allowed to retain their palaces; and even as late as April, 1691, attempts were made by friends of the Government to compromise matters with them, in spite of the increased odium cast on their order by Turner's conduct: it was proposed that, at least, they should disavow all share in the alleged conspiracy, but Sancroft would do nothing of the kind, easy and reasonable as such a concession seemed.

There remained no alternative but to eject the disaffected, and to induct loyal successors. As the crisis approached, questions were raised and discussed by Nonjurors, touching the treatment of those so inducted. Lloyd, Sancroft's busy correspondent, now wrote to say how perplexed he felt; for, extreme as might be his views, they were surpassed by the views of others. He reported that they asked, what they should do in case they appeared at any of the new Episcopal elections,-should they oppose them? From such a proposal he shrunk, for to carry it out might incur a premunire. Further, he inquired whether for him to recommend their absenting themselves would not be cowardly? Nonplussed by these problems, he despondingly added, "What, then, is to be done? Here I stick." His friend Wagstaffe informed him, some had resolved to resist all Erastian intrusion, and expected the displaced Bishops would assert their rights. Lloyd grew testy at such an excess of zeal, and wished to know what the self-appointed critics would advise the Prelates to do? Had not those very critics

submitted to deprivation? Of what use would it be for their superiors to do otherwise ?1

Presently the question came again on the carpet.

"May it please your Grace," wrote the indefatigable Lloyd, "I had last Saturday a fit opportunity to discourse with Sir Edward Entwich about the vexatio questio, and found him--upon consideration of the whole matterto be of the same opinion with Mr. N-th. The first question that I proposed was, whether it was advisable for us to keep possession till we were ejected by legal processes; his answer was, we might, if we judged it meet, dispute the possession; but then, saith he, you must at last expect to be outed, and to pay the costs and charges of the suit, and to be called to Westminster Hall, and perhaps elsewhere, to answer hard questions, and that with all rigour. I then asked whether he would advise us so to do, and appear for us, and draw pleas as occasions offered? To this his answer was, that he knew not to what purpose we should put ourselves to fruitless trouble; for, saith he, if a happy turn should come, all the proceedings against you will be out of doors. This is the sum of our discourse.

He adds a paragraph respecting a Nonjuror whose Jacobitism had plunged him into serious danger :

"I saw Dr. B[ea]ch last week, who hopes shortly to be at liberty, or at least to be abroad upon bail.

"It was well for him that the informer blundered in his depositions against him, and indeed, so did the justices who took the information; for there is not in the deposition any express mention of the time or place, when and where the Doctor said, that the same power which put our Saviour on the pinnacle of the Temple, put William and

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Mary upon the throne; but I am told that there are other informations against him. His successor has broke into his Church in his absence, and got possession in his absence, and this is a very great trouble to the Dr.

"I hear that Mr. Dean of Worcester begins to appear again, and hopes that the storm will blow over him. I heartily wish it may, sed timeo Danaos; for commonly they are not so generous."1

The Dean of Worcester here referred to was Dr. Hickes. A little more than a fortnight before Lloyd's letter was written, the Dean drew up a protest against his own ejectment, addressed to the Sub-Dean and Prebendaries, idly declaring the appointment of a successor to be illegal, and as idly calling upon them to defend the rights of the dispossessed. This protesting ended in smoke. Hickes and Wagstaffe, as well as Lloyd, had to succumb; so had Frampton of Gloucester, and White of Peterborough. Sancroft yielded only to a legal process; and at last, on Midsummer eve, between seven and eight o'clock, accompanied by the steward of his household and three other friends, he entered a boat at Lambeth ferry, which conveyed the little party to the Temple stairs, where the deprived Primate sought shelter for a few days in Palsgrave Court. One imagines, as amidst the lengthening shadows on the waters that same night he left for ever the towers of the familiar palace, he would cast"one longing, lingering look behind." But history preserves a more touching picture of the departure of Ken from the city of Wells.

After he had from his pastoral chair in the Cathedral asserted his Canonical right to remain Bishop of the Diocese, he passed through the gardens and crossed the

From the Bishop of Norwich, 18th May, 1691.

Tanner MSS., xxvi. 59.

drawbridge over the moat, whilst old and young crowded round him to ask his blessing and say farewell. “ Mild, complacent, yet dignified," remarks the Layman who writes his life, "on retiring with a peaceful conscience from opulence and station to dependence and poverty, as the morning sun shone on the turreted chapel, we naturally imagine he may have shed only one tear, when looking back on those interesting scenes. Perhaps his eye might have rested on the pale faces of some of the poor old men and women who had partaken their Sunday dinner so often, and heard his discourse in the old hall."1

Dr. Beveridge, who will be more particularly noticed hereafter, was offered the See of Bath and Wells; but he was threatened by the Nonjurors, in case he should accept the offer, with the fate of schismatical usurpers, like Gregory and George of Cappadocia, who invaded the See of Alexandria, upon the deposition of the orthodox Athanasius.

A rumour went abroad that the Archdeacon of Colchester had accepted a mitre, in consequence of which friends pestered him with letters for his suspected act, and turned against him his reputation for learning and loyalty. Dr. Lowth prematurely addressed him under an Episcopal title, and expostulated with him in the following terms:

"May it please your Lordship,

"You must be sensible in what great reputation all well-minded, learned, and judicious men, have had your laborious performances upon the Laws and Canons of the Church. But notwithstanding, since you have accepted a nomination to the Bishopric of Bath and Wells, of which See Dr. Ken is the Canonical pro

Life. 391.

prietor; and having not been removed by his brethren, the Bishops, something more is required of you, whereby its comportment with those Church Laws may appear, so frequently forbidding two Bishops to be in one city. It is well known what separations the same practice hath bred in God's Church, as also that her decision hath still been against you. If, then, the same return, the guilt and schism of it must be laid at your door, unless you can produce such ground for the present practice, whereof not only yourself but the Ancient Church hath heretofore been ignorant. These are the sentiments of many, who have formerly been your just admirers, and desire that you will give them no occasion of taking new measures concerning you, and particularly of him, who, notwithstanding he may no longer -upon the account of your present promotion-write himself your brother, yet will always remain

"Yours, in the faith and discipline

of the Ancient Church."1

Whether or not such rebukes and warnings prevented Beveridge from accepting the vacant See, at all events he declined it, and remained a Presbyter till after the death of William.

1 Camb. Univ. Library. Baker MSS., 40, 90.

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