CHAPTER XXIII.

Ken's humane difpofition - Circular letter of the deprived Bishops, recommending a Charitable Fund for the relief of the Non-juring Clergy-Character and Death of KettlewellKen fummoned before the Privy Council, and releafed.

HE friendship of Lord Weymouth had placed Ken beyond the reach of perfonal want: but he felt deeply for the diftrefs of others. His alms now could not reach to the extent of his charitable defires, which had ever been unbounded: and, perhaps, he might fometimes figh for the means of relieving others, like the charitable Anthony Horneck, of whom his biographer relates, "I never heard him complain but once, and that was a little before his last sickness, and then he complained that he wanted money to give to the poor." When the Bishop of Bath and Wells gave a great part of 4000l. to the exiled Huguenots, it did not fatisfy him how much lefs could he effect on 80l. a year! Then, of his abundance, he caft in all, as an offering to God;-now, his poor mite was an equally acceptable oblation, and laid up in the fame treasury, not the lefs bleffed to himself.

Writing to Bishop Lloyd, he excufes himself from coming to London, as

"Being confiftent neither with my purse, nor convenience, nor health, nor inclination:"* At another time he says, "When I told you that a London journey was not agreeable to my purse, it was no pretence, but a real truth. I am not able to fupport the expence of it, which all that know my condition will eafily believe. I thank God I have enough to bring the yeare about, while I remain in the country, and this is as much as I defire. I have often been offered money for myself, but always refufed it, and never take any but to distribute, and in the country I have nothing now for that good ufe put into my hands." +

His friend, Dr. Thomas Smith, who pleaded the cause of others with him, often himself participated of his bounty. On one occafion Ken writes to him,"Living fo long and fo much in the country, I have no charitable contributions put into my hands, but of my owne I can spare you the contents of the following note, which you would oblige me by accepting. I befeech God to keep us in His reverential love, and mindful of eternity."§ And again, “I entreat you to let me know with the freedom of a friend, when you are in any streight, or want fupplys to carry on your labours of love for the publick." ||

Six months later he says, "I deferred writing to you till the family [at Longleat] removed, intending to send by good Mr. Jenkins, from whom you will receive five pounds, as a token of the real refpect I have for you. I can, thanks be to God, very well spare it, and I entreat you to oblige me by accepting it."

To this Dr. Smith answers,

"I haften to make my grateful acknowledgem" for the

* Profe Works of Ken, by Round, p. 56.

A Non-juror, and a very learned Divine.

from Magdalen College by James II.

§ Profe Works of Ken, by Round, p. 85.

+ Ibid. p. 57. He had been expelled

|| Ibid. p. 93.

ch

contents of your last letter; and next, to unburthen myselfe that I was extremely surprized, not to say, almost confounded, Stupito & ftordito, as the Italian phrase is, with the exceffive kindnes of your repeated prefent; we confidering the narrownes of your owne circumstances, I made it a scruple at confcience whether I could fairly receive: tho' you are pleased in your letter to obviate that doubt by telling me that you can very well spare it."*

Again the Bishop writes to him,

"I entreat you to permit me to send you, now and then, some teftimony of my esteem, which I can well spare, and indeed, confidering your labours of love and learning, all your friends can give to you is given to the publick. I am forry for good Lady Dutton and her daughters: I beseech God to fupport them. If when you go into the city you call on Brome, the Bookfeller, he will pay you fifty fhillings, which I defign for them, though I defire you to make no mention from whom it came." ↑

We have seen how he once pleaded with Burnet on behalf of the Church of Scotland; fo was he now foremost among the charitable, who alleviated the fufferings of the deprived Scottish clergy. Some years later than our prefent date, Dr. Smith, introducing to him a clergyman from Scotland, thus expreffes himself,

"My Lord,

"London, 27th July, 1701.

"I write this to comply with the urgent request of the bearer, Mr. James Gray, a worthy clergyman of the Church of Scotland, now going to Bath, in attendance upon the

Profe Works of Ken, by Round, pp. 95, 97. + Ibid. p. 105.

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Countess of Roxburgh, and purposing after some little to wait upon your Lordship; tho' I tell him that this recommendation feems altogether fuperfluous and unneceffary, he not being unknowne to you, and having fuch an authentic attestation under the hands and feals of the Archb. of St. Andrew's, and the Bishop of Edinburgh.

"I know your Lordship's generous, and truly Christian compaffion and concern for that grievously afflicted, and perfecuted Church, and the diftreffed clergy thereof, and how ready and zealous you have been, upon all occafions fuggefted and offered, to promote this great duty of our religion, and to recommend to the humanity, to the good nature, to the charity, to the bounty of devout perfons of your acquaintance, especially of a diftinguishing character and quality, whom God has bleffed with plentiful fortunes and eftates, and who abound in the good things of this life, the fad, and wofull condition of fuch as fuffer for confcience and righteousness fake. Which confideration has prevayled upon me to write so freely to your Lordship, and at the same time encourageth me to hope, that you will be pleased to pardon the trouble hereby given by,

"My Lord,

"Your Lordship's most dutiful Servant,

"T. S."*

If he felt compaffion for the diftrefs of the Nonjurors in Scotland, much more must he have done fo for the deprived clergy in England, who were equal fufferers, and had a nearer and immediate claim on his compaffion, fome of them being in his own diocefe. They had loft their all by refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance, and many of them were reduced to the lowest state of penury. Their wives and families were literally ftarving; for though charitable

* Profe Works of Ken, by Round, p. 52.

people made collections on their behalf, the number of these objects of pity was too great to be maintained, except on the most precarious footing. At length, Mr. John Kettlewell, seeing that nothing could meet the urgency of their cafe, but fyftematic and authorized collections, drew up a "Model of a Fund of Charity for the needy fuffering Clergy." His prudence and forefight, no lefs than his meekness, were a guarantee that the scheme would be effectual, and fo guarded as to prevent giving just umbrage to a jealous Government. He proposed that the deprived Bishops should issue a Pastoral Letter, inviting all humane perfons to contribute, and that they should be managers of the Fund, with others of the clergy, to be selected by themselves. The feveral cafes of the sufferers were to be carefully examined, and distribution made in ftrict conformity with their merits and wants. By this plan, it was thought, that the Nonjuring Bishops would have more control over the conduct of their clergy, and a protection be afforded against the many falfe pretenders, who had hitherto imposed on the charitably inclined.*

This propofal met with the warm concurrence of the deprived Bishops, themselves reduced to fuch a small pittance, that they could afford very little help to the inferior clergy. A letter of Kettlewell's to Bishop Lloyd shows the origin of the charitable fund, and is also an evidence of his frequent intercourse with Ken:

* Life of Kettlewell, p.417.