the untiring fidelity of his attachment by affording him for twenty years an asylum at his noble mansion of Long Leat, where he closed his eyes.* Hooper and Ken were thrown together in every stage of their lives; one a learned Grecian and oriental scholar, the other as diftinguished for his fafcinating eloquence; fervent devoted Priefts, alternately fucceeding each other in their preferments, and both more folicitous for the other's advancement than their own.

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We can hardly doubt that all three formed part of the refolute band in Oxford, who affembled together for prayer in the House of Thomas Willis, close by Merton College, when the Liturgy had been prohibited in the Churches and Chapels. Like the difciples of old, in their upper room, these trustful Christians performed their devotions according to the Book of Common Prayer, none being admitted but their confidents. There they maintained the orders and rubric of the Church of England on all Lord's days, Holy days, and their Vigils, and administered the Holy Communion." This was begun by that " great undervaluer of money," Dr. John Fell, alfo the eloquent John Dolben, afterwards Archbishop of York, and other divines; and was continued until the Restoration, to the great comfort and support of the afflicted Royalists. To believe, to truft, and to fuffer, are privileges that can never be taken from Christ's faithful followers; to feek their happiness in a fimple dedicating of them

* Bowles's Life of Ken, vol. i. p. 42.

+ Wood's Ath. Oxon. vol. ii. p. 795.

felves to His will, to abide His time for eventual peace, and to repofe on His fure word, is to triumph in the midst of flander and oppreffion.

*"

Ken was a skilful player on the lute; and did not betake himself so closely to his ftudies, but that he allowed himself an indulgence in his innocent recreation of mufic, for which" he had an excellent genius.* The organs, and choral services had been filenced by the ufurpers: but there were many in Oxford who could not submit to change their countenances and manners at the word of command. Some of these formed themselves into mufical parties under the facetious, and no less learned and loyal, Anthony à Wood, who enumerates the several performers, their instruments, and degrees of skill. He fays" Thomas Ken, of New College, a Junior, would be sometimes among them, and fing his part." Indeed it would appear that Vice Chancellor Owen, either affected the example of the Protector (" who loved a good voice and inftrumental mufic well") or was really fond of mufic, for its own fake. About this time, he recalled Mr. John Wilson, the best player on the lute in all England, made him University Profeffor of Mufic, and affigned him a lodging in Balliol College. To his exertions and skill, and to thofe of William Ellis, the deprived organist of St. John's, may be attributed in great measure the mufical spirit that prevailed. Weekly meetings were held at their houses, and fometimes in the College chambers, where they got together

full bands of lutes, viols, (bass, tenor, counter-tenor and treble) lyra-viols, virginals, and even violins, which began now to be in fashion.

Thus time paffed on, until all classes had learned to bewail the difquiet which England had brought on herself. The spirit of rebellion, and the death of their martyred king, had entailed upon the people their own heaviest punishment in a series of national crimes. Their phrenzy for liberty had refulted in the iron bondage of a military defpotifm. As they had shown no pity, they were in turn vifited by justice without mercy. A bold impiety had taken from them all love of spiritual things. The Church being overthrown, they were given up alternately to profaneness and hypocrify, and forced to perjure themselves with fucceffive oaths, engagements, and covenants, under pretext of exalting the Gospel and Kingdom of Chrift. Prefbyterians, Anabaptifts, Independents, Quakers, Antinomians, Socinians, Levellers, and Fifth-monarchy men, of whom many agreed only in hatred of the Church, and of each other, became at length weary of the burthen of their own manifold confufions.

In the midst of this defolation a release was providentially prepared by Him, who "weighs the nations in a balance." The coming deliverance was ushered in by the gorgeous pageantry of Cromwell's funeral. The difcordant factions of the " Council of the Army," the Council of State," and the "Committee of Safety" foretold the downfal of the Republic. Although the first symptoms of returning order were for some time faint and uncertain, and hopes and fears

agitated all minds, as the Parliament, or Lambert, or Monk, feemed to prevail, the fecret counfels of the Royalifts took at length a definite courfe. General Monk declaring himself openly for the King, the whole nation concurred in his joyful Restoration to the throne.

When Charles II. took poffeffion of his palace at Whitehall, the memory of twenty years' fufferings was for a moment loft in the universal triumph. What then must have been the gladness of the University, when the King's Commiffioners arrived at Christ Church to reinftate Morley, Fell, Dolben, Sanderson, and others who had been expelled from their Colleges as "malignants and fcandalous Recufants!" The voice of joy and thanksgiving, as of those who keep holiday, refounded in the College Halls. In every court and quadrangle were to be heard mutual congratulations of old friends, arriving one after the other to increase the general gladness.

CHAPTER IV.

Ken appointed to the Living of Little Eafton-refigns the cure -Made Chaplain to Bishop Morley-Fellow of Winchester College-Rector of Brightstone-Prebendary of Winchester -Refigns Brightstone-Appointed to Eaft Woodhay.

F the next two or three years of Ken's life few records are to be found. He took his degree of Bachelor of Arts the 3rd of May, 1661, and that of Master the 21st of January, 1664.* Mr. Bowles fuggests that he may have been Tutor of his College, which is not improbable. He might train the younger Wykehamists in the rules of Chriftian obedience, and at the fame time mature his own theological ftudies. Of this last duty of preparation for Holy Orders no one could have a deeper fenfe.

And if at all times the Prieft's office demands a fpirit fully braced to his high calling, it was especially fo at this period, when the English Church was brought into extreme peril. The return of kingly government had indeed hufhed the ftorm in which fhe had well nigh been fwept away: but if to our day, after two centuries, fhe bears the fcars of her chastisement in the Rebellion, her wounds were then fresh and bleeding. Her difcipline was relaxed, her doctrines

Anthony à Wood's Fafti Oxon. vol. ii. pp. 140 and 158.