with the leaden cross, which had been newly sawn down from over the green-yard pulpit, and the service books and singing books that could be had, were carried to the fire in the public market place a lewd wretch walking before the train, in his cope trailing in the dirt, with a service book in his hand, imitating in an impious scorn the tune, and usurping the words of the litany used formerly in the church! Near the public cross, all these monuments of idolatry must be sacrificed to the fire, not without much ostentation of a zealous joy in discharging ordnance to the cost of some who professed how much they had longed to see that day. Neither was it any news upon this guild-day to have the cathedral now open on all sides to be filled with musketeers, waiting for the mayor's return, drinking and tobacconing as freely as if it had turned alehouse.

Still yet I remained in my palace though with but a poor retinue and means; but the house was held too good for me: many messages were sent by Mr. Corbet to remove me thence. The first pretence was, that the committee, who now was at charge for an house to sit in, might make their daily session there, being a place both more public, roomy, and chargeless. The committee after many consultations resolved it convenient to remove thither, though many overtures and offers were made to the contrary. Mr. Corbet was impatient of my stay there, and procures and sends peremptory messages for my present dislodging. We desired to have some time allowed for providing

Leaden cross.] In the church-warden's accounts of the parish of Lambeth, fol. 288, A. D. 1642, is the following entry:

0 1 6"

"Paid for taking downe the crosse off the steeple And in fol. 293, is a further payment of 2s. In a subsequent year we find how the cross was disposed of; fol. 296, A. D. 1644:

"Rec. for the crosse that was upon the steeple, and other

The following extracts are also given from the same book, as further illustrative of the proceedings of those times: fol. 293, a. D. 1643:

66

Paide to John Pickerskill for taking downe the railes that
were about the communion table

Fol. 296, A. D. 1644:

"Paid to the carpenters for worke in taking downe the
skreenes betweene the church and the chancel

"Paid to Ed. Marshall for two dayes worke in levelling the
chancell

Fol. 300, A. D. 1645:

"Paid for a basen to baptize in, and for the frame

0 1 0"

0 13 0"

040"

0 5 0"

some other mansion, if we must needs be cast out of this, which my wife was so willing to hold, that she offered, (if the charge of the present committee house were the things stood upon) she would be content to defray the sum of the rent of that house of her fifth part; but that might not be yielded; out we must, and that in three weeks warning, by midsummer-day then approaching, so as we might have lain in the street for ought I know, had not the providence of God so ordered it that a neighbour in the close, one Mr. Gostlin, a widower, was content to void his house for us.

This hath been my measure, wherefore I know not; Lord thou knowest, who only canst remedy, and end, and forgive or avenge this horrible oppression.

Scripsi, May 29, 1647.

Jos. NORVIC.

SHORTLY after', this excellent bishop retired to a little estate, which he rented at Higham near Norwich; where, notwithstanding the narrowness of his circumstances, he distributed a weekly charity to a certain number of poor widows. In this retirement he ended his life, September 8, 1656, aged 82 years; and was buried in the church-yard of that parish, without any memorial; observing in his will, "I do not hold God's house a meet repository for the dead bodies of the greatest saints."

He is universally allowed to have been a man of incomparable piety, meekness, and modesty, having a thorough knowledge of the world, and of great wit and learning.

с

A writer observes of him that "he may be said to have died with the pen in his hand. He was commonly called our English Seneca, for his pure, plain and full stile. Not ill at controversies, more happy at comments, very good in his characters, better in his sermons, best of all in his meditations."

7 Shortly after.] This conclusion is transcribed from the notes to an edition of this life, &c. prefixed to an edition of bishop Hall's Contemplations, published A. D. 1759, by the Rev. Wm. Dodd.

DOCTOR HENRY HAMMOND.

In these things we also have been but too like the sons of Israel; for when we sinned as greatly, we also have groaned under as great and sad a calamity. For we have not only felt the evils of an intestine war, but God hath smitten us in our spirit, and laid the scene of his judgments especially in religion.— But I delight not to observe the correspondencies of such sad accidents: they do but help to vex the offending part, and relieve the afflicted but with a fantastic and groundless comfort. I will therefore deny leave to my own affections to ease themselves by complaining of others. I shall only crave leave, that I may remember Jerusalem, and call to mind the pleasures of the temple, the order of her services, the beauty of her buildings, the sweetness of her songs, the decency of her ministrations, the assiduity and œconomy of her priests and levites, the daily sacrifice, and that eternal fire of devotion, that went not out by day nor by night. These were the pleasures of our peace and there is a remanent felicity in the very memory of those spiritual delights, which we then enjoyed as antepasts of heaven, and consignations to an immortality of joys. And it may be so again, when it shall please God, who hath the hearts of all princes in his hand, and turneth them as the rivers of waters; and when men will consider the invaluable loss that is consequent, and the danger of sin that is appendant to the destroying of such forms of discipline and devotion, in which God was purely worshipped, and the church was edified, and the people instructed to great degrees of piety, knowledge, and devotion.

BISHOP TAYLOR.