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payment of these pensions without any deduction the royal donor was so solicitous, that he always called for the money quarterly, and sent it to her himself.

His Grace's theological publications are still held in the highest repute, and have been frequently reprinted; many of his sermons, likewise, have been translated into foreign languages. The best edition of his works was published in three volumes folio, by Dr. Birch, in 1752.

In answer to a Letter upon the subject of his Treatise entitled Judicium expetitum super Dissidio Anglicano, et capitibus quæ ad Unionem seu Comprehensionem faciunt,' he wrote as follows:

Viro admodum Domino Frederico Spanhemio, in Academia Lugd. Bat. S. Theol. Professori dig

nissimo.

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Quòd literis tuis, Vir clarissime, sanè quam humanissimis non citiùs rescripserim, causa fuit adversa valetudo; cui ut mederer, et animum recrearem atque reficerem, rus ire necesse mihi fuit: nunc autem, gratiâ Dei, commodiore quidem utor valetudine, at nondum etiam benè confirmatâ.

"Tractatum de pace et Unione Dissentientium apud nos Protestantium cum Ecclesiâ Anglicanâ tuum, quem mecum serenissima Regina communicavit, avidè perlegi et summâ cum delectatione. In eo judicium acre idemque subactum, eruditionem eximiam, in antiquioris Ecclesiæ disciplinâ ritibus que peritiam singularem, et quod præcipuum est, mentem et animum verè Christianum ubique deprehendi. Pauca fortasse sunt, et eadem haud ita

magni momenti (articulum de Sacris Ordinibus iterandis excipio) in quibus paulo difficilius erit invenire temperamentum, cujus ope partes inter se litigantes aliquando concordare possint. Ecclesiæ enim nostræ plebs, non secus ac Dissentientium cætuum, suas etiam habet superstitiones et opiniones præju dicatas; cujus ut ratio habeatur in rebus ab Ecclesiá nostrá concedendis jus et æquum est, ne offensa deficiat à nobis ad Ecclesiam Romanam. Longum adeò foret ea nunc singillatim persequi; multo commodior erit de his disserendi locus, cùm occasio propior advenerit.

Stilling fletius ille noster, nunc ecclesiæ Vigorniensis Episcopus, cujus in tuis ad me literis mentionem facis, de quo Ecclesia nostra merito gloriatur, is etiam nunc in eâdem quâ nos sententiâ perstat. Porrò sunt alii permulti, et hi Ecclesiæ nostræ decora et ornamenta, in quibus magna videtur esse animorum inclinatio ad pacem et concordiam. In horum me numerum referre mihi non assumo, tantis et tam præclaris viris neutiquam comparandus; tametsi tu, vir reverende, pro humanitate tuâ et summá erga me benevolentiâ nimio plus tribuis judicio meo de his controversiis. Unum magnoperè dolendum censeo, multos esse er utrâque parte, tum Ecclesia nostra, tum Dissentientium, qui rationem et viam pacis non norunt. Quem igitur exitum hæc consilia pacis tandem habitura sint, divinare nequeo. Ut nunc est in Anglia, nihil hujusmodi impræsentiarum tentandum arbitror, sed expectandum donec tempora magis pacata fuerint; quæ, si fortissimo Regi juvante Deo, omnia prosperè et ex bonorum omnium sententiâ ceciderint, non procul

abesse auguror. Quid enim desperandum sub auspiciis religiosissimorum et prudentissimorum principum; Regis, dico, nostri et Regina?

Quapropter si me audis, vir eximie, rectè sapienterque feceris, si Tractatum tuum in vulgus edere distuleris, quoad certior spes secundi successûs affulserit.

Illustrissimus Comes Portlandius, consilii hujus pacifici ex animo fautor et adjutor, hæc omnia et universum rerum nostrarum statum fusiùs exponet; cui si studium meum et obsequium confirmare volueris, gratissimum mihi feceris.

Condonabis mihi, spero, negligentiam purioris Latinitatis, ad quam invitus admodùm redeo post triginta plus annorum desuetudinem, quoniam in concionibus habendis et in omni pastorali munere obeundo ætatem penè consumsi. Veniam igitur pro hác re à candore tuo petit is, quem ubique cognosces, Vir clarissime,

Reverentiæ tuæ addictissimum atque omni officiorum genere et obsequio devinctissimum,

Feb. 6, 1691.

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Amicum tuum, cui literas ad me dedisti, non vidi ex quo mihi eas reddidit. Hominem investigabo, cùm ad aulam rediero, ac libens juvabo quâ ratione cunque potero.

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SIR GEORGE SAVILE,

MARQUIS OF HALIFAX.*

[1630-1695.]

THIS nobleman was the eldest son of Sir William Savile, Baronet, of an ancient Yorkshire family. By the date of his return from his travels it is conjectured, that he was born about the year 1630. Of the early part of his life, however, all we know is, that he was extremely active in effecting the restoration of Charles II.: that, soon after that era, he discovered eminent political talents; and that, in consideration of his own and his father's loyalty, he was raised to the peerage by the title of Baron Savile of Eland and Viscount Halifax, in 1672; and the same year visited Holland as Joint Commissioner with the Duke of Buckingham and the Earl of Arlington, to negotiate a peace between France and the States General, in which from the envy of his collegues he met with great opposition.

In 1675, a bill was brought into the House of Peers, by which the members of the legislature and

* AUTHORITIES. Walpole's Royal and Noble Authors, and British Biography.

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all public functionaries were required to swear, that it was not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever forcibly to resist the King;' that they abhorred the traitorous position of taking up arms against his person, or against those commissioned by him;' and that they would not at any time endeavour the alteration of the Protestant Religion, or of the established government either in Church or State.' But this iniquitous measure, by which it was intended to exclude from parliament and public employment all who were not friends of passive obedience and nonresistance, encountered vigorous opposition; and Lord Halifax, among others, zealously exerted himself against it.

In 1676, through the interest of the Lord Treasurer Danby, he was removed from the Council Board. Upon a change in the ministry however, in 1679, he was re-appointed to it. The same year, in the consultations upon the Exclusion-bill, though he resisted the measure itself, he recommended such limitations of James' authority in the event of his accesion to the throne, as should disable him from doing mischief; transferring from his hands to those of the two Houses of parliament all power in ecclesiastical matters, in disposing of the public money, and in making peace and war; and proposing that the parliament in being at the King's death should continue without a new summons, and assume the administration:' limitations, as it was contended by some of Halifax's friends, so advantageous to public liberty, that a patriot might almost be tempted to wish for a Popish Sovereign, in order to have them realised. Upon these suggestions, a schism occurred in the new

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