and cures, after the same manner; that if possible they might make them understand their errors and the danger in which they were: which way, in a country where there are no penal laws to restrain the public profession of that religion, was the best if not the only means, which could be used. Nor was his care confined only to the conversion of the ignorant Irish papists; but he also endeavoured the reduction of the Scotch and English sectaries to the bosom of the church, as it was by law established, confirming and arguing with divers of them, as well ministers as laymen, and shewing them the weakness of those scruples and objections they had against their joining with the public service of the church, and submitting to its government and discipline."

Notwithsanding this, the Archbishop was stigmatized by some bigots of his own communion as being puritanically inclined, for which no reason could be assigned, unless it was the mildness of his temper, and the moderation of his measures. The calumny, however, was industriously conveyed to the ear of the monarch, but James, after discoursing with Dr. Usher, observed, "that the knave Puritan was a bad, but the knave's Puritan an honest man."

The Archbishop was in England when the Irish rebellion broke out, so that he escaped suffering in person, though he was despoiled of his estate, and saved nothing but his library, which was conveyed to Chester, and from thence to London.

So great and extensive was his reputation at this time, that the city and university of Leyden, hearing of his losses, offered to chuse him their honorary professor of theology, with a more ample salary than had formerly been annexed to the office; and Cardinal Richelieu invited him to France, with the promise of a noble pension and the free exercise of his religion. These offers he declined and was appointed by the king to the vacant bishopric of Carlisle, of which he was soon deprived by the Presbyterians, who abolished episcopacy, plundered the cathedrals, and confiscated the lands of the bishops. The parliament, indeed, in consequence of his great losses voted him a pension of four hundred pounds a year, but this he did not receive above once or twice.

When the king withdrew to Oxford, the archbishop retired thither also, and often preached before the persecuted monarch, which so exasperated the prevailing faction that they made an order for seizing his books which were in Chelsea college. This decree, which would have disgraced Goths and Saracens, was carried into execution, and the books would have been publicly sold had not Dr. Featley, who was then in some favour with the party, and a member of their assembly at Westminster, obtained them for his own use; by which means they were secured for the archbishop, at least as many as were not stolen before they came into the doctor's hands. Amongst the

articles

articles embezzled were many manuscripts and letters of great value.

A few years after this the archbishop going into Wales had all his books and papers taken from him by a straggling party; but such was the reverence in which he was held, that they were almost all restored, upon a declaration being made to the people in the churches, desiring that those who had any of them in their possession, would bring the same to their ministers.

While he resided in Wales he fell into a dangerous illness, beginning with a strangury and sup pression of urine, which produced a violent hæmorrhage. In the midst of the most excruciating torture he was still patient, praising God and resigning himself to his will, giving to those about him the best advice, not to neglect the preparation for death till the last. "It is a dangerous thing," said he, "to leave all undone till our last sickness; I fear a death-bed repentance will avail us little if we have lived vainly, and viciously, and neglected our conversion, till we can sin no longer."

He manifested his loyalty even in this sickness, for when a gentleman came to visit him, who was a member of the House of Commons, and was then about to set out for London, the archbishop said to him, "Sir, you see I am very weak, and cannot expect to live many hours; you are returning to the parliament, I am going to God; my blood and life is almost spent: I charge you to

tell them from me, that I know they are in the wrong, and have dealt very injuriously with the, king, and I am not mistaken in this matter."

It having been falsely said that the primate advised the king to pass the bill of attainder against the great earl of Strafford, an unhappy measure which embittered the last moments of Charles, and was one of the steps which led to his own tragic fate, his grace's chaplain took the opportunity, when the archbishop seemed to be on his death-bed to question him upon it. His answer was, "I know there is such a thing wrongfully laid to my charge, for I neither gave nor approved of any such advice, as that the king should assent to the bill against the earl, but on the contrary, told his majesty, that if he was satisfied by what he had heard at his trial that the earl was not guilty of treason, his majesty ought not in conscience to consent to his condemnation: and this the king knows well enough, and can clear me if he pleases." Nor was the primate mistaken in this, for when not long after it was told the king at Oxford, that the archbishop of Armagh was dead, he expressed his sorrow at the loss, and made a warm eulogium upon his learning and piety. And when a person present said that "he believed he might be so, were it not for his persuading your majesty to consent to the earl of Strafford's execution," the king in a great passion replied, 'Tis false; for," said he, "after the bill was past, the archbishop came to me saying, (with tears in his

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eyes)

eyes) Oh, Sir! what have you done? I fear that this act may prove a great trouble to your conscience, and pray God that your majesty may never suffer by the signing of this bill, or words to that effect."

Beyond all expectation the good archbishop recovered from this illness, and as the king's affairs were become almost desperate he thought of going abroad. Accordingly a vessel was provided for him, and a passport obtained from the Earl of Warwick, who was the admiral for the parliament; but while preparations were making for the voyage, a squadron came into Carditt roads under one Molton, to whom the archbishop sent his chaplain to know if he would suffer him To this the to proceed without molestation. brutal commander replied, that, "if he could get him into his hands, he would carry him prisoner to the parliament." This design being frustrated, the archbishop was at a loss where to go for safety, when a letter arrived from the countess dowager of Peterborough, offering him an asylum at her house at Ryegate, in Surrey.

"But it must not here be forgotten," says the writer of his life, "that before he left Wales, the great expenses of his sickness, and removals in the year past had much reduced him as to his purse, nor knew he where to get it supplied; when it pleased God to put it into the hearts of -divers worthy persons of that country, to consider that the primate had not only suffered much