CHAPTER XXIII.—1694 to 1699.-Ken's humane disposition— Circular letter of the deprived Bishops, recommending a Charitable Fund for the relief of the Non-juring Clergy- CHAPTER XXIV.-1700 to 1704.-Death of James II.-Death of William III.; his character Acceffion of Queen Anne-Bishop Kidder killed in the Palace at Wells during the great Storm-Anne offers to reftore Ken to Bath and Wells; he declines, and perfuades Dr. Hooper to accept his Bishopric, which he refigns into his hands CHAPTER XXV.-1704.-Ken cenfured by many of the Non- jurors for his refignation of the Bishopric- Difference CHAPTER XXVI.-1704 to 1708.-Refemblance of Ken, in fome particulars of his life, to St. Gregory of Nazianzum-Ken's CHAPTER XXVII.-1710.-Ken furvives all the other deprived Bishops-Controversy among the Non-jurors-Ken recom- mends all to conform to the Church-Hickes, Wagstaffe, CHAPTER XXVIII. — 1710 ̊ and 1711. — Ken's last Sickness- APPENDIX A.-Ken's Morning, Evening, and Midnight Hymns, Page Life of Thomas Ken. CHAPTER XVII. The Bishops are releafed from the Tower-Their Trial for a Seditious Libel, and Acquittal-The Joy of the People-The Bishops encourage their flocks to remain firm to the Church of England. HE ill-judged, and tyrannical measure of fending the Archbishop and Bishops to the Tower roufed the nation, almost as one man, to a fenfe of the danger which now threatened their common liberties: even the Diffenters perceived that the King's real object was the establishment of Popery. How indeed could they expect a permanent indulgence for themselves, when a humble petition from the Bishops, praying to be excufed from an illegal act, drawn up with fuch fecrecy that no copy was allowed to be taken in any but the Archbishop's own writing, and delivered into the King's hand, in the royal clofet at night, and on their knees, was denounced as the publication of a feditious libel? What fecurity could there be for others, if, in the perfons of thefe Prelates, the privileges of Peers, and the fanctity of the higheft ecclefiaftical order, were publicly violated? James expreffes great bitterness towards the Diffenters for fo foon turning against him after the Declaration of Indulgence: he calls them "Vipers whom he had gather'd from the dunghill, where the lawes had lay'd them, and whom he had cherished in his bofome, till they ftung him with reproaches, as falfe as they were vilanous and ungrateful." * The other measures of the King, though contrary to the laws, his appointment of a Roman Catholic Council, filling the army with Popish officers, annulling the Charters of corporate cities, establishing the Ecclefiaftical Commiffion, forcibly invading the rights of the Universities, his arbitrary and cruel measures in Ireland, all feemed of minor importance, compared with this last act of violence against the Bishops,men of fo holy a character, who were now fuftaining the part of patient, humble, loyal fufferers in the cause of truth. James and his advisers began seriously to apprehend the confequences of their precipitancy: even Jeffreys affected to deplore the prefent crifis, charging it on his master's determined will, and expreffing a hope that more moderate counfels would prevail. He sent an obliging meffage to the Bishops in the Tower. Sunderland disclaimed any share in the measure. judicial blindness had come over the King. At one moment he seemed willing to change his policy, at another to fear retracing one ftep;-urged onward by the Jefuits, he thought any thing was better than But a His own Memoirs. Clarke's Life of James II., vol. ii. p. 170. |