capacity, in conjunction with the other eftates of parliament, their lordships could alter the law; but they had no conftitutional right to do this by themfelves, and when fitting as a court of juftice. Bonds of refignation were certainly liable to very juft objections; but it was confidered as hard, that in a caufe between a bishop and a country gentleman, fourteen bishops fhould vote on the fide of their brother prelate, and yet that the country gentleman fhould lofe his caufe only by a single vote. Of the twenty-three lay lords who voted in this caufe, eighteen voted on the fide of Mr. Disney Ffytche. It was thought by impartial perfons, that if the law refpecting bonds of refignation was wrong, it should have been altered by an act of parliament; for it might juftly be deemed a dangerous precedent, that what had been confidered as the established law, for two centuries, fhould be overturned merely by a vote of the bishops, in oppofition to the opinions of the judges, and to the moft folemn decifions of the courts. In a pamphlet, printed on the occafion, are the following remarks: "As to the final decifion of this caufe, whether it was quite decent, in a caufe between a bishop and a private gentleman, for fourteen bishops and five lay-lords, to determine that not to be law, which the judges had declared to be law, and which had been univerfally understood to be law for at least two cen→ turies, may poffibly be questioned. If it was neceffary and proper that an end fhould be put to bonds of refignation, a new law fhould have been made for that purpofe. Any bishop could have brought a bill into the upper houfe for that end; and this would have been regular, and fair, and conftitutional. But it feemed hardly fo, to harrafs a country gentleman through all the courts; and then to determine the caufe against him by fo unusual VOL. VIII. M and and fplendid an appearance of lawn fleeves; for, as the duke of Richmond very properly obferved, "it is not every day, that the Right Reverend bench can find fufficient time, from their fpiritual avocations, to divide fourteen in a law question." When archbishop Cornwallis died, in 1783, the king made an offer of the fee of Canterbury to bifhop Lowth; but this dignity he declined, rightly judging, that, at his advanced period of life, and with his increafing infirmities, the tranquillity and eafe of Fulham were preferable to the ftate and ceremony of Lambeth. In the latter part of his life he had a very ill ftate of health, which continued during fome years, and was attended with the most severe fufferings, all which he bore with the greatest refignation and fortitude. He died at Fulham on the 3d of November, 1787, having nearly completed his feventy-feventh year. He was privately interred in a vault in Fulham church, on the 12th of the fame month. He had feveral children, two of whom furvived him, a fon and a daughter. His fon, the Rev. Robert Lowth, is now prebendary of St. Paul's, and vicar of Halítead in Effex. Bishop Lowth was a man of very extenfive learning, and fine tafte, and his works have a very high degree of merit. Befides his works already enumerated, he was the author of feveral elegant poetical pieces, particularly the "Choice of Hercules, from the fable of Prodicus," which has been feveral times printed. He had a refined tafte in the arts; and of the objects in which the imagination loves to revel, landfcape fcenery appeared to intereft him moft. He converfed with lettered elegance, with very courtly fuavity and eafe. His temper was quickly fympathetic, but more fufcep tible tible of sorrow than joy; and, on provocations that led to anger, his emotions were rather hafty. In his perfon, he was under the middle ftature, but ftout and well made; of a fair and florid complexion, with an animated and expreffive counte nance. Authorities. Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Bishop Lowth, 8vo, 1787. Annual, Register for the years 1787 and 1786, &c. ERRAT A. VOL. II. P. 131. 1. 21. for challege, read challenge. P. 61. 1. 1. after the words "admiral Ruffell," add," and that of France," VO L. VI. P. 155. 1. 34. for Chapeller, read Chapelle. VO L. VII. P. 238. for flicker, read stickler. INDEX [The Roman Numerals direct to the particular A BBOT, George, archbishop of Canterbury, his A life, iii. 114.—his education, 115.—his dif- agreement with Laud, ibid.-made dean of Win- M 3 Addifon, |