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believe, that he who in all his life was observed to act with the greatest clearness and sincerity, would not at the point of death do so disingenuous and false a thing as to deliver for his own that what was not properly and expressly so.

And if, after the loss in such a manner of the best husband in the world, I were capable of any consolation, your Majesty only could afford it by having better thoughts of him, which when I was so importunate to speak with your Majesty, I thought I had some reason to believe I had inclined you to, not from the credit of my word, but upon the evidence of what I had to say. I hope I have writ nothing in this that will displease your Majesty. If I have, I humbly beg of you to consider it as coming from a woman amazed with grief; and that you will pardon the daughter of a person who served your Majesty's father in his greatest extremities, (and your Majesty in your greatest posts) and one that is not conscious of having ever done anything to offend you. I shall ever pray for your Majesty's long life and happy reign,

1

Who am, with all humility,

May it please your Majesty

&c.

LXXXIX.

William III., who ridiculed many of the superstitious church
practices of his day, was regarded by the High Church party as
either an Infidel or a Puritan. His firmness and independence
in filling up the numerous ecclesiastical benefices after the Revo-
lution did not tend to diminish the disaffection in the Episco-
pate. The vacancy in the Deanery of St. Paul's, caused by the
nomination of Dr. Stillingfleet to the Bishopric of Worcester
was filled by Dr. Tillotson in 1689; at the time this appoint-
ment was made Dr. Tillotson was informed by the King that he
was to be Sancroft's successor in the see of Canterbury. Un-
willing to accept such high honour he sought the advice of
Lady Russell in a letter to which this was the reply.

Lady Rachel Russell to Dr. Tillotson, Dean of St. Paul's.
October, 1690.

Your letters will never trouble me, Mr. Dean; on the contrary, they are comfortable refreshments to my, for the most part, overburthened mind, which both by nature and by accident, is

1 The Earl of Southampton.

made so weak that I can't bear, with that constancy I should, the losses I have lately felt; I can say, friends and acquaintances thou hast hid out of my sight, but I hope it shall not disturb my peace. These were young, and as they had began their race of life after me, so I desired they might have ended it also. But happy are those whom God retires in his grace-I trust these were so; and then no age can be amiss: to the young 'tis not too early, nor to the aged too late. Submission and prayer is all we know that we can do towards our own relief in our distresses, or to disarm God's anger either in our public or private concerns. This scene will soon alter into that peaceful and eternal home in prospect. But in this time of our pilgrimage vicissitudes of all sorts are everyone's lot. And this leads me to your case, Sir.

The time seems to be come when you must anew in practice that submission1 you have so powerfully both tried yourself and instructed others to: I see no place to escape at; you must take up the cross and bear it; I faithfully believe it has the figure of a very heavy one to you, though not from the cares of it; since, if the King guesses right, you toil more now; but this work is of your own choosing, and the dignity of the other is what you have bent your mind against, and the strong resolve of your life has been to avoid it. Had this even proceeded to a vow, 'tis, I think, like the virgins of old to be dissolved by the father of your country.

Again, tho' contemplation, and a few friends well chosen, would be your grateful choice, yet, if charity, obedience, and necessity, call you into the great world, and where enemies encompass round about, must not you accept it? And each of these, in my mean apprehension, determines you to do it. In short, 'twill be a noble sacrifice you will make, and I am confident you will find as a reward, kind and tender supports, if you do take the burthen upon you; there is, as it were, a commanding Providence in the manner of it. Perhaps I do as sincerely wish your thoughts at ease as any friend you have, but I think you may purchase that too dear; and if you should come to think so too, they would then be as restless as before.

Sir, I believe you would be as much a common good as you

1 Dr. Tillotson had endeavoured to persuade Lord William Russell to submit to the doctrine of passive obedie ce to kingship.

can; consider how few of ability and integrity this age produces. Pray do not turn this matter too much in your head; when one has once turned it every way, you know that more does but perplex, and one never sees the clearer for it. Be not stiff if it be still urged to you. Conform to the Divine Will, which has set it so strongly in the other's mind, and be content to endure; 'tis God calls you to it. I believe 'twas wisely said, that when there is no remedy they will give it over, and make the best of it, and so I hope no ill will terminate on the King; and they will lay up their arrows, when they perceive they are shot in vain at him or you, upon whom no reflection that I can think of can be made that is ingenious; and what is pure malice you are above being affected with. I wish, for many reasons, my prayers were more worthy, but such as they are, I offer them with a sincere zeal to the throne of Grace for you in this strait, that you may be led out of it, as shall best serve the great ends and designs of God's glory.

XC.

Lord Macaulay refers to the following letter as 'a model of serious, friendly, and gentlemanlike reproof.'

The Earl of Shrewsbury (created a Duke by William III. for his activity and support at the Revolution), was accounted one of the finest scholars and finest gentlemen of his time. He was known from youth to old age as the King of Hearts, for everybody loved him. His conversion from the Roman Catholic to the Protestant faith at the outset of his career was caused by the disgust he felt at that wretched business, the Popish plot, and the timely influence of Dr. Tillotson, the Dean of Canterbury. So much concern did the Dean feel for his convert, whom he found in danger of being attracted into the dissolute circle of Charles II.'s court, that he addressed him this masterpiece of elegant remonstrance.

Dr. Tillotson to the Earl of Shrewsbury.

1679.

My Lord,-It was a great satisfaction to me to be any ways instrumental in the gaining your Lordship to our religion, which I am really persuaded to be the truth. But I am, and always was more concern'd, that your Lordship would continue a virtuous and good man, than become a Protestant, being assured, that the ignorance and errors of men's understanding will find a much

easier forgiveness with God, than the faults of the will. I remember that your Lordship once told me, that you would endeavour to justify the sincerity of your change by a conscientious regard to all other parts and actions of your life. I am sure you cannot more effectually condemn your own act, than by being a worse man after your profession to have embrac'd a better religion. I will certainly be one of the last to believe any thing of your Lordship, that is not good; but I always feared, I should be one of the first that should hear it. The time I last waited upon your Lordship, I had heard something, that afflicted me very sensibly; but I hoped it was not true, and was therefore loth to trouble your Lordship about it. But having heard the same from those, who, I believe, bear no ill-will to your Lordship, I now think it my duty to acquaint you with it. To speak plainly, I have been told, that your Lordship is of late fallen into a conversation dangerous both to your reputation and virtue, two of the tenderest and dearest things in the world. I believe your Lordship to have a great command and conduct of yourself; but I am very sensible of human frailty, and of the dangerous temptations, to which youth is exposed in this dissolute age. Therefore I earnestly beseech your Lordship to consider, besides the high provocation of Almighty God, and the hazard of your soul, whenever you engage in a bad course, what a blemish you will bring upon a fair and unspotted reputation; what uneasiness and trouble you will create to yourself from the severe reflections of a guilty conscience, and how great a violence you will offer to your good principles, your nature, and your education, and to a mind the best made for virtuous and worthy things. And do not imagine you can stop when you please. Experience shews us the contrary, and that nothing is more vain, than for men to think they can set bounds to themselves in anything that is bad. I hope in God, no temptation has yet prevailed on your Lordship so far as to be guilty of any loose act. If it has, as you love your soul, let it not proceed to an habit. The retreat is yet easy and open, but will every day be. come more difficult and obstructed. God is so merciful, that upon your repentance and resolution of amendment, he is not only ready to forgive what is past, but to assist us by his grace to do better for the future. But I need not inforce these considerations upon a mind so capable of, and easy to receive good counsel. I shall

only desire your Lordship to think again and again, how great a point of wisdom it is, in all our actions, to consult the peace of our minds, and to have no quarrel with the constant and inseparable companion of our lives. If others displease us, we may quit their company; but he, that is displeased with himself, is unavoidably unhappy because he has no way to get rid of himself. My Lord, for God's sake, and your own, think of being happy, and resolve by all means to save yourself from this untoward generation. Determine rather upon a speedy change of your condition, than to gratify the inclinations of your youth in any thing but what is lawful and honourable; and let me have the satisfaction to be assured from your Lordship, either that there has been no ground for this report, or that there shall be none for the future; which will be the welcomest news to me in the world. I have only to beg of your Lordship to believe, that I have not done this to satisfy the formality of my profession; but that it proceeds from the truest affection and good-will, that one man can possibly bear to another. I pray God every day for your Lordship with the same constancy and fervour as for myself, and do most earnestly beg, that this counsel may be acceptable and effectual.

XCI.

I am, &c.

This is the answer to the foregoing letter of Lady Rachel
Russell.

Six months after this letter was written Sancroft was
deprived of his see, and Tillotson was appointed Archbishop of
Canterbury. When it is remembered that many of the states-
men of the Middle Ages took holy orders merely to qualify
themselves to be recipients of the only lucrative form of patron-
age dispensed by the Crown; and that in the succeeding genera-
tions venerable prelates have not scrupled to have the greatness
of an archbishopric thrust upon them, this hesitation, on the
part of Tillotson, to accept the leadership of the church is very
striking. A reason for his faltering was that he had a wife; but
modern precedents, in the cases of Cranmer and Parker, out-
weighed this objection.

Dr. Tillotson to Lady Rachel Russell.

October 25, 1690.

Honoured Madam,—I am obliged to your Ladyship beyond all expression, for taking my case so seriously into your consideration,

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