by the rudeness of the rabble, [in the plunder of his property] but also by a long and expensive sickness; so they sent him, unknown to each other, divers considerable sums; so that he had in a few weeks enough to supply all his present occasions, and also to defray the expenses of his journey into England."

The archbishop attended the king in the Isle of Wight, and when that unfortunate monarch was brought to the scaffold, some of lady Peterborough's servants, (her house being opposite Charing Cross) went and informed the good old primate of it, and asked him if he would see the king once more before he was put to death. He was at first unwilling, but was at last persuaded, and when he came upon the leads of the house, the king was in his speech: the lord primate stood still, and said nothing, but sighed, and lifting up his hands and his eyes full of tears towards heaven seemed to pray earnestly;-but when his majesty had done speaking, and had pulled off his cloak and doublet, and stood stripped in his waistcoat, and the villains in vizards began to put up his hair, the archbishop, no longer able to endure such a dismal sight, grew pale and began to faint and was carried down and laid on his bed.

After this sad tragedy the government was managed by a corrupt oligarchy, till Cromwell turned them out, and, by the help of the army, set himself up as protector. The archbishop, however, saw that such a state could not be perma

nent;

nent; he was too well acquainted with the history of the revolutions of empires not to know that military usurpations are of short continuance. He accordingly frequently comforted the loyal party with the assurance that the usurpation would quickly expire, and that the king would return unto his throne, though he himself, he said, should not live to see it. This he declared to several persons, adding, also, that the usurpation of Cromwell was but like that of some of the Grecian tyrants, which, "As it began by an army, so it commonly ended with the death of the usurper."*

Cromwell affected a great respect for the pri mate and promised to restore to him part of the lands belonging to the archbishopric of Armagh, but he delayed the passing of the grant from time to time, and after the death of his grace, he made a pretence by imputing malignancy, that is loyalty, to the primate's daughter and her husband, to free himself from the promise,

When the usurper began to persecute the Episcopal clergy with great severity, by forbidding them not only the exercise of their professional function, but also the privilege of keeping school for a maintenance, Archbishop Usher was desired o use his interest with him in their behalf.

1

The discerning and dispassionate observer of the present times may, without incurring the risk of being charged with presumption or extravagant credulity, apply the same obser vation and rule to existing circumstances.

In compliance with their desires he went, and after much entreaty, Cromwell promised to take off the restraints he had imposed upon the clergy, provided they meddled not with matters relating to his government; but when the primate went to him a second time, to get this promise ratified, and put into writing, he found him under the hands of his surgeon, who was dressing a great boil which he had on his breast, so Cromwell told the archbishop to sit down, and that when he was dressed he would speak with him; whilst this was doing Cromwell said to his lordship, "If this core, (pointing to the boil) were once out I should quickly be well :" to whom Usher replied, "I doubt the core lies deeper; there is a core at the heart that must be taken out, or else it will not be well."-"Ah!" said Cromwell, "so there is indeed," and sighed. But when the primate began to speak to him concerning the business he came about, he answered to this effect: "that he had since better considered it, having advised with his council about it, and that they thought it not safe for him to grant liberty of conscience to those sort of men who were restless and implacable enemies to him and his government;" and so he took his leave of him, though with good words and outward civility. The primate seeing it was in vain to urge it any farther, said little inore to him, but returned home very much troubled, and concerned that his endeavours had met with no better success, but he said to those who came to him, "This false