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Queen

This event, which relieved Dr. Bentley from the CHAP. XI. imminent peril in which he stood, was followed the next day by one of greater importance, the death of Death of Queen Anne; whereby the sceptre was transferred Anne to the house of Hanover, the ministers were ejected and proscribed, and a new aspect given to the political state of the country.

himself of all opportunities of making enquiries of those who conversed with him at the time, and fully believed the fact to have been as is stated in the text. The following is the decretory part of the sentence: "Quia per acta inactitata, deducta, allegata, exhibita, proposita, probata, pariter et confessata, comperimus luculenter et invenimus præfatas partes querelantes, et negotium hujusmodi promoventes, eorum intentionem in quibusdam articulis, sive libello supplici, aliisque propositis et exhibitis in hoc, negotio datis exhibitis et admissis, penesque Registrum nostrum remanentibus deductam (quos quidem Articulos sive Libellum supplicem, ceteraque proposita et exhibita prædicta pro hic lectis et insertis habemus et haberi volumus) sufficienter et ad plenum (quod infra pronunciandum) fundasse et probasse, nihilque effectuale per dictum Richardum Bentley vel ex parte sua fuisse aut esse in hoc negotio exceptum, deductum, allegatum, exhibitum, propositum, probatum, vel confessatum, quod intentionem dictarum partium querelantium, et negotium hujusmodi promoventium in hac parte elideret, seu quomodolibet enervaret: Idcirco nos, Joannes Episcopus Eliensis, Visitator antedictus, Christi nomine primitus invocato, et ipsum solum Deum oculis nostris proponentes et habentes, deque et cum consilio Assessorum nostrorum nobiscum assidentium, præfatum Richardum Bentley, Sacræ Theologiæ Doctorem, Collegii Sanctæ et Individuæ Trinitatis in oppido Cantabrigiæ prædictæ Magistrum coram nobis examinatum, bona dicti Collegii dilapidasse, et statuta ejusdem Collegii violasse pronunciamus, decernimus, et declaramus; Eundem igitur Richardum Bentley, sicut præfertur, coram nobis, Visitatore antedicto examinatum, et dilapidatione bonorum dicti Collegii coram nobis Visitatore prædicto convictum, propter præmissa officio suo Magistri Collegii prædicti privamus, ipsumque Richardum Bentley officio suo Magistri Collegii prædicti amovemus, per hanc nostram sententiam definitivam, sive hoc nostrum finale decretum, quam sive quod ferimus et promulgamus in his scriptis."

Aug. 1.

XII.

1714.

CHAPTER XII.

Bentley's reconciliation with his Fellows-Fleetwood, Bishop of Ely-Fresh attempt to vacate Miller's fellowship-Miller's Petition to the King— Articles of Accusation against the Master-Bishop Fleetwood refuses to take cognizance of them-Bentley's Charge to his Archdeaconry— Sherlock and Waterland-Vote of the Senate against Bentley rescinded-Thanks of the University voted to him-State of politics at Cambridge-King's present of the late Bishop Moore's Library to the University University Loyalty considered'-Bentley's Sermon on Popery-Attack upon the Sermon-Reply-Account of Dr. ColbatchBentley offers him the Vice-mastership — The Master's disposal of College Livings- Further measures against Miller-College leases— Colbatch applies to the Bishop of Ely—Archbishop Wake interests himself in favour of the Fellows―They Petition the King—Bentley's scheme of publishing the Greek Testament-Death of Cotes-Robert Smith-History and Death of Kuster-Biel-Correspondence on Hesychius-Project of Editions to be published by Bentley, in Usum Principis Frederici’—Schism in the Whig Ministry—Bentley turns out Miller by constables—Quarrels with Colbatch-Fellowship Election— Petition read in Council-Miller's Book on the University of Cambridge- Humble and Serious Representation on the State of Trinity College'-Bentley carries an Address to the King-Waterland-Election of Vice-chancellor—Bentley's Visitation Charge.

CHAP. THE premature termination of the suit against the Master of Trinity College, at the very moment when it was expected to end in his deprivation, afforded him an opportunity of retracing his steps, conciliating his Fellows, and retrieving the ground which he had lost in the good opinion of the public. It is impossible not to wish that he had profited by this warning; and that being now saved by his good fortune from immediate peril, he had confined himself to the strict path which his duty and his dignity prescribed. We find indeed that he did avail himself of the alteration of circumstances to effect the paci

fication of his College, but it was done in a manner not calculated to secure the praise either of his own times or of posterity.

CHAP.

XII.

1714.

reconcilia

Fellows.

The majority of the eight Senior Fellows, being Bentley's harassed with domestic feuds which now appeared tion with his interminable, conceiving that they had already done their utmost to procure a redress of grievances, and thinking any alternative better than the anarchy and discord in which they had passed the last four years, listened readily to the first overtures for accommodation. Since the commencement of the proceedings in 1710, not less than six of the prosecutors had died of the remainder some were weak and harmless men, far advanced in life, who only desired permission to pass the remnant of their days in tranquillity'.

Bishop of

The see of Ely was supplied by Dr. Fleetwood, Fleetwood, Bishop of St. Asaph, who had distinguished himself Ely. in the late reign by his learning, as well as by protesting against the conduct of the Tory government. Immediately on his nomination he declared that, if he visited Trinity College, it should be in the character of a General Visitor, to execute impartial justice on all delinquencies, whether of the Master or of the Fellows. This announcement produced a sudden effect upon two or three of the prosecutors, who had degraded their character and station by intemperate habits, which made them obnoxious to the censures of a Visitor. They accordingly entered into a compact with the Master, and declined joining in any further proceedings against him, while he, on his part, neither molested them, nor obstructed their interests. Hereupon he abandoned his scheme for dividends and compen

1 Three of these had been intruded into the Society by the mandates of Charles II. and James II. See Chapter VII.

XII. 1714.

CHAP. sation, which had been the immediate cause of the late proceedings. The common object of the two parties, to prevent any external interference, was a sufficient cement of the union. Among those reconciled to the Master was Mr. Barwell, a person hitherto conspicuous for the violence of his hostility: he was in reality a timid man, shrinking from the slightest appearance of danger; a weakness of character which Bentley had already perceived, and availed himself of the discovery. The vice-mastership, vacant by the death of Dr. Smith, was now given to Mr. Modd, one of the oldest Fellows; the bursarship to Mr. Bathurst, though he was nearly incapable of its duties from infirmity of sight; and Mr. Hanbury, the individual whose intemperate habits the Master had most severely reprobated and published to the world, was made senior dean2.

Fresh attempt to va

Being convinced however that he could never cate Miller's enjoy his power in security or tranquillity, so long Fellowship. as his enemy Miller continued in the society, he

66

resolved at all hazards to effect his removal. The former pretence for depriving him of his fellowship, that he was not a Doctor of Physic, seems to have met with such universal condemnation that he dared not revive it. But the statutes supplied him with a different ground in the following enactment. Cap. VIII. Statuimus præterea, si quis Sociorum, qui non sit Concionator, aut Discipulorum, sacerdotium aut prebendam cujuscunque summæ habuerit, aut si pensionem annuam, quæ summam decem librarum excesserit, aut possessiones aliquas hæreditarias dictam summam excedentes, aut stipendium pro toto vitæ suæ tempore duraturum, quod eandem summam superaverit, ut post annum Collegio amoveatur." As Miller possessed an

2 This is alluded to in Middleton's Works, vol. iii. p. 356.

XII.

1714.

estate of several hundreds a year, the Master had CHAP. contended at the late trial that, upon the score of the above statute, he ought to be deprived of his fellowship. This plea furnished, of course, no justification of the step which had actually been taken. As it seemed however a fair statutable ground, Bentley, at the ensuing election, declared Miller's fellowship to be vacant on account of his property. To this the Seniority demurred, not being yet prepared to cashier their champion; but he obtained their acquiescence in a proposal which bespeaks all the subtilty of its author. It was agreed to elect provisionally David Humphreys, one of the candidates whom the Seniors were themselves desirous to admit into the society, to supply the place of Miller, in case his fellowship should be declared vacant by the King before the following July, the regular period for admission of Major-fellows.

tition to the

The Seniors were probably glad of an expedient Miller's pewhich took out of their jurisdiction so nice a question: King. the advantage obtained by Bentley will show itself in the sequel. Miller immediately preferred a petition to the Crown, praying for redress and protection. The words of the statute seemed to be plainly against him; but he urged, reasonably enough, that as they occurred in the chapter De Concionatoribus, they had always been considered to relate only to the Fellows on the clerical line; and had never before been put in force against the two laymen, who possessed no share in the advantages given by that very statute to their clerical brethren. It was besides evident that this measure was partial and personal; since the Master not only connived at others who were possessed of property, but had recently advised the Seniority not to accept the resignation of Mr. Greswold, who had succeeded to an estate of above a