carry on their design, and, who (as the proper heirs of their irrational zeal) would again rake into the scarce-closed wounds of a newly-bleeding state and church.

And first, though I dare not say that I knew Mr. Hooker; yet, as our Ecclesiastical History reports to the honour of St. Ignatius, "that he lived in the time of St. John, and had seen him in his childhood," so I also joy, that in my minority I have often seen Mr. Hooker with my father, who was after Bishop of London; from whom, and others, at that time, I have heard most of the material passages which you relate in the History of his Life; and from my father received such a character of his learning, humility, and other virtues, that like jewels of invaluable price, they still cast such a lustre, as envy or the rust of time shall never darken.

From my father I have also heard all the circumstances of the plot to defame him; and how

The Separatists from the Church of England, were originally called by a general terin, “ Puritans." Split into parties, they were soon discriminated by the various appellations of " Presby “terians," " Independents," " Brownists," "Familists," &c.

JONATIUS, B shop of Antioch, is in the list of the Apostolu Frkers, among whom were plated such Christian doctors as had conversed with the apostles themselves, or their disciples. This p.ous and venerable man, who being exposed to wild beasts by the order of Ir jm, suffered martyrkan with the utmost corstency, was educated under the apostle and evangelist St. John, and intunely acquainted with St Peter and St. Paul

Sir Edwin Sandys out-witted his accusers, and gained their confession: and I could give an account of each particular of that plot, but that I Judge it fitter to be forgotten, and rot in the same grave with the malicious authors'.

I may not omit to declare, that my father's knowledge of Mr. Hooker, was occasioned by the learned Dr. John Spencer; who, after the death of Mr. Hooker, was so careful to preserve his invaluable sixth, seventh, and eighth books of - Ecclesiastical Polity," and his other writings, that he procured Henry Jackson, then of Corpus Christi College, to transcribe for him all Mr. Hooker's remaining written papers; many of which were imperfect: for his study had been rifled, or worse used, by Mr. Chark, and another, of principles too like his. But these papers were endeavoured to be completed by his dear friend Dr. Spencer', who bequeathed them as a

precious

• The writer of this letter experienced, in his own person, a ¡¦ssure equal to any, of which human nature is cepin, that ca vating the injured fame of a beloved parent. Wach Dr. Jalin King, Bishop of Lon lon, a man of sold gravity and ↑ ty, and of such an excellent volubility of tongue as well as tavchtad,

t'at Junes 1. denominated him “74 ka of Preda trad-ced as ha ing al jured that re on, wh hat the copse a song 1 te he had unatormly defended 1.. med til.. detected the falsehood of the accusat and n St Paul's Cross, clearly expored the assets fem 1 at at that time no unusual calun ny.

* Presdent of Corpus Christi College in Oxt al dth of Mr. Hocker he published the five books of the 1

legacy to my father, after whose death they rested in my hand, till Dr. Abbot", then Archbishop of Canterbury, commanded them out of my custody, by authorizing Dr. John Barkeham to require, and bring them to him to his palace in Lambeth ; at which time, I have heard, they were put into

astical Polity, with an excellent preface, subscribed I. S. the initial letters of his name. (See Wood's Ath. Or, vol. 1. p. 393. )

The character of this prelate, justly to be admired for his truly Christian moderation and mildness, has been most happily pourtrayed by the pen of the Right Hon. Arthur Onslow, for many years the venerable Speaker of the British House of Commons, in "The Life of Dr. George Abbot, &c. reprinted with “ some additions, &c. Guildford, 1777.”

* Chaplain to Archbishop Bancroft, as well as to his successor, Dr. Abbot, and Dean of Bocking in Essex: an able divine, and an amable man. To his knowledge in divinity he added other literary accomplishments, being an accurate historian, well skilled in coins and antiquities, and so great a proficient in heraldry, that he is generally supposed to have been the author of that celebrated work, which was published in the name of John Guillim. He was also the editor of Crakanthorpe's book against the Archbishop of Spalato, entitled “Defensio Ecclena," &c. Speed, at the conclusion of his History of Great Britain, gratefully acknowledges" The most acceptable helps both of books ** and collections (especially in matters remoter from our times) "from that worthy divine, Master John Barkeham, a gentleman "composed of learning, vertue, and courtesie, as being no lesse

ingeniously willing, than learnedly able, to advance and for**ward all vertuous endeavours,” He bequesthed his valuable cons to Archbishop Land, through whose munificence they were deposited in the Bolivian Library at Oxford

the Bishop's library, and that they remained there till the martyrdom of Archbishop Laud; and were then, by the brethren of that faction, given, with all the library, to Hugh Peters', as a reward for his remarkable service in those sad times of the Church's confusion: And though they could

HUGH PETERS, a man of loose morals, having being expelled in the earlier part of his life from the University of Cambridge, became afterward an itinerant preacher in New England, Holland, and other countries, and was at length appotted one of Oliver Cromwell's Chaplains, and a Colonel in the army. He and Dr. Burgess are classed among those precious-gifted teachers, to whom Butler alludes in the hero: sal epistle of Hudibras to his Lady, ver. 305, 306. He occawinally preached the lecture at Stepney, and from thence was ced by William Greenhill, the noted Independant, "The

Evening Star of Stepney." Many instances are recorded of the violence of his zeal against monarchy. When Oxford was surrendered in 1646, for the use of the Parliament, he was one of the chaplains who, by propagating the most seditious datrines in the town and in the university, endeavoured to seduce the inhabitants and the young scholars from their alece.In the pulpit he not unfrequently acted the part of a buffoon or merry-andrew. He used to say, that it would never be well till 1.0 The three Ls, the Lords, the * Levites, and the Lawyers," were put down. He preached divers sermons to persuade the army to destroy the king, whom he compared to Barabbas. It was given in evidence against him, that he was wont to call the King tyrant and ba, and that, on the Sunday after his Majesty was brought to his trial, in the course of his sermon, he uttered these words,-"Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,”

Such was the man who got possession, not only of the

Archbishops

hardly fall into a fouler hand; yet there wanted not other endeavours to corrupt and make them speak that language for which the faction then fought, which indeed was—to subject the sovereign power to the people.

But I need not strive to vindicate Mr. Hooker in this particular; his known loyalty to his prince, whilst he lived, the sorrow expressed by King James at his death, the value our late sovereign (of ever-blessed memory) put upon his works, and now, the singular character of his worth by you, given in the passages of his Life, especially in your Appendix to it, do sufficiently clear him from that imputation. And I am glad you mention how much value Thomas Stapleton, Pope Clement the VIII. and other eminent men of the Romish persuasion, have put upon his books: Having been told the same in my youth by persons of worth that have travelled Italy.

Archbishop's library at Lambeth, but also of the invaluable one which belonged to the King. A commission was grant ed by Charles II. dated September 10, 1600, to Thomas Ross, tutor to the Duke of Monmouth, and Elias Ashmole, Esquires, empowering them to examine Hugh Peters concerning the books and medals which he was suspected of having embezzled. It was well known that he had ransacked the royal library and closet, and that their most valuable curiosities were taken out, and dispersed over Europe. In his examination (Biogr. Brit. vol. II. p. 290. K.) he declared, that he gave up the key and custody of them to Major General Ireton.—Of his behaviour, during his trial and at his execution, see the State Trials.