bestowed a sum of money for the purchase of a piece of plate to be presented to the most pious and best learned of the commencing Bachelor of Arts in each year, and for other uses of the College. He, also, contributed five hundred pounds toward rebuilding the chapel. Whilst Dr. Sudbury was Dean, two instances are recorded of an exertion of arbitrary power, which in these days would be deservedly reprobated. The Dean and Chapter of Durham, refusing to confirm a lease, were commanded to attend the King and Council. The King asking Dean Sudbury, if it was against his conscience to confirm the lease?' he answered, "No: but"and was proceeding to offer his reasons, when his Majesty replied, "If it is not against your conscience, I will have no buts: so go home, and confirm it"-which was immediately complied with!* The second instance is not less reprehensible. "Dr. Dionise Granville †, Archdeacon of the Cathedral Church of Durham and one of his Majesty's Chaplains in Ordinary, coming one day from public prayer and a funeral, where the chiefest of the gentry in the county were assem * From Gray's MSS. quoted in Hutchinson's History of the County of Durham.' + Or Grenville, as his name is written in the title-page of • The Compleat Conformist,' published by himself in 1684. bled, and being in his habit, was openly arrested within the cloister and at the door of the Cathedral by three bailiffs, upon a small pretended debt, to his great dishonour and to the scandal and contempt of the Church and it's privileges; and this notwithstanding his privilege as his Majesty's Chaplain in Ordinary, which privilege was in vain suggested to the bailiffs, and to Mr. Richard Neile the Under-sheriff. The said Under-sheriff ordered Dr. Granville to be carried to gaol, and that with many aggravating circumstances. The affair was brought before the King in Council. The King was pleased very much to reprehend Mr. Carnabie, a person concerned in it, and to direct his Attorney-general to prosecute him and Mr. Neile. But, on the submission of Mr. Carnabie, a pardon was granted to him; and also to Mr. Richard Neile on the petition of his father Sir Paul Neile, and on expressing his sorrow for his misdemeanor, who declared himself ignorant that Dr. Granville was his Majesty's Chaplain in Ordinary *" From many papers now extant, it appears that Dean Sudbury never remitted his attention to the interests of the College at Durham. As a specimen of his epistolary stile, the following letter is inserted, upon a dispute between * From the Act-Book of the Dean and Chapter of Durham. VOL. II. G the tenants and the lady to whom it is addressed. "To my Lady Davison *. "MADAM, "As I cannot think this letter will be welcome to your Ladyship, soe I should not doubt of your pardon, if you knew how unwillingly I write it, and how much rather I would seek an occasion to doe you service than take one to give you any trouble. But I know not how to avoid this any longer, for I have received so many complaints from our tenants at W- of some misunderstanding between your Ladyship and them, about a service which they owe to your will, that I must no longer forbear to give you notice of it. And though I am apt to believe that they are more ready to complain, than your Ladyship is to give them any cause for it, I know no better way to put an end to this difference than to give them a hearing before the Chapter, when somebody shall appear from your Ladyship to answer what they have to object. Be pleased to take your own time, and let them have notice of it; and I hope we shall bring the controversy to such an end, as will be satis * Widow of Sir Thomas Blakiston, Knight, of Blakiston, and daughter of Sir William Bellasys, Knight, of Ludworth. factory both to your Ladyship and them. For they profess all willingness to doe all the service that they have usually done in former times, and that they are bound to by their leases, and I do not think that your Ladyship will desire more. And as I know none of the Chapter will be partiall to them, soe for myself I am, Madam, "Your very humble servant, Duresme, June 25. —72. "JO. SUDBURY ** The beneficence of man, displaying itself toward his fellow-creatures, assumes a variety of forms. To a virtuous mind no gratification can be more pleasing, as none is more honourable, than that which results from alleviating the miseries, or augmenting the innocent enjoyments, of life; while every sentiment of grateful respect if due to the memory of those, who have contributed to the advancement of useful science. It is impossible, therefore, to withhold the tribute of praise from that act of bounty, which has particularly endeared the name of SUDBURY to every lover of learning and learned men-the erecting, at his own cost, of a spacious, cheerful, and elegant library for his College. A similar instance of regard for literature had been given by Bishop Cosin, usually stiled the benevolent * Hunter's MSS. in the Chapter-library, I. No. 104. Bishop of Durham *" That prelate built a fair library near the Castle, the charge whereof, and of the portraits introduced into it, amounted to a very considerable sum of money. He bestowed books, likewise, upon it to a great value, and secured an annual pension to a librarian †. * It is scarcely possible to enumerate the many acts of public beneficence, by which Dr. Cosin distinguished himself during the period of eleven years, for which he held the see of Durham. Yet, notwithstanding his pre-eminent merit, he was calumniated in his lifetime, nor has he escaped severe and undeserved censure since his death. (See Kippis' Biogr. Brit.) ....... "No might, nor greatness, in mortality (Shakspeare, Meas. for Meas., iii. 2.) + Over the door of this library is the following inscription: Non minima pars eruditionis est bonos nôsse libros. On the front of the library at Augsburg these lines are engraven: Quando omnes pussim loquuntur When King James I. visited the University of Oxford in 1605, on his departure out of the Bodleian library he brake out into that noble speech; "If I were not a King, I would be an Univer |