said office he caused several superstitious pictures to be burnt at the market-place of Oxford, and among the rest, one in which was the figure of God the Father, over a crucifix, ready to receive the soul of Christ; and he professes in this letter, that he was moved to such proceedings by his own observation and experience. I "remember (says he) in that college [Baliol] where I "first lived, a young man was taken praying, and beating "his breast, before a crucifix in a window; which caused the master and fellows to pull it down, and set up "other glass. Which example makes me nothing doubt, "but that the cross in Cheapside hath many, in the twi"light and morning early, who do reverence before it, "besides Campian, whose act is famous, or rather in،، famous, for it. And, I am informed, that so much "hath been signified by the neighbours, or inquest, mak"ing presentments concerning the circumstances of this "cause. By all which, I do conclude, that it is a "monument of their superstition; a great inducement, "and may be a ready way to idolatry; and that there 66 can be no tolerable use of this matter, which may be "able to countervail the dangers and obloquy arising upon the retaining of it; and so much the rather, be"cause it is perceived that many evil affected men do "make their advantage from hence, to insinuate into the "minds of their credulous hearers, that it is a token of "the return of their faith again into this land, since "their monuments are not extinguished in the chief street "of our greatest city."

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He afterwards desires, that the reader would observe, that the magistrates are to redress such enormities: "For (continues he) I do not permit inferior men to run headlong about such matters; and to rend, break, and “ tear, as well within as without the churches, which "was that which Luther reprehended; but the advice and "consent of superior powers is to be had herein, that all things may be done decently and in order." He held it therefore necessary, that they should apply to the Archbishop of Canterbury [Whitgift] and to the bishop of London [Bancroft] for instructions. The issue of the matter was, that the cross only was erected again, without either the body or the dove, which was agreeable in the main to the sentiments of the vice-chancellor, and the heads of houses at Oxford.

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He likewise published the same year his Sermons on the Prophet Jonah, which were received with great applause.

In 1603, he was again chosen vice-chancellor of the university, and discharged that office a second time with general approbation. In the succeeding year 1604, that translation of the Bible which is now in use, was made by the direction of King James, and Dr. Abbot was the second of eight learned divines in the University of Oxford, to whom the care of translating the whole New Testament (except the Epistles) was committed. He likewise published this year an answer to Dr. Hill's Reasons for upholding Popery. In 1605, he was a third time vicechancellor. In the succeeding year, he is said to have had a great share in the troubles of Laud, who was called to an account by the vice-chancellor, Dr. Ayry, for a sermon of his preached before the university; and that year, likewise, he lost his father and mother.

In 1608, died his great patron Thomas Sackville, Earl of Dorset, Lord high treasurer of England, and chancellor of the University of Oxford, suddenly at the council table; at whose funeral, Dr. Abbot preached a sermon, which was afterwards printed, and generally commended.

After his decease, Dr. Abbot became chaplain to George Hume, Earl of Dunbar, and treasurer of Scotland, one of King James's early favourites, and who all along had a very high share in his esteem; and with him he went this year into Scotland, in order to assist in the execution of a very important design, for establishing an union between the Churches in that kingdom and this, wherein he behaved with so much prudence and moderation as gained him a very high character, and is thought to have been the first step to all his future preferment.

Dean Abbot now stood so high in the King's favour, that on the death of Dr. Overton, bishop of Litchfield and Coventry, which happened the latter end of April 1609, his majesty thought of Dr. Abbot for his successor; and he was accordingly consecrated bishop of those united sees, on December 3d, in the same year. But this, it seems, did not appear in the King's eyes a sufficient recompence for the services rendered him by so able a man; and therefore, before he had sat a month in this bishopric, he was translated to London, that see becoming void by the death of Dr. Thomas Ravis; and he was accordingly removed thither on the 20th of January following. It was but a short time that he possessed both these bishoprics; and yet, in that short time, he so remarkably distinguished himself by the diligent performance of his function, by constant preaching, and by expressing the

utmost

utmost readiness to promote learning and learned men, that he obtained a general good character, as appears from several memorials of those times.

While the good bishop was thus employed, a new opportunity offered of the King's testifying his esteem of, and confidence in him, by the archepiscopal see of Canterbury's becoming vacant, as it did on the 2d of November 1610, by the death of Dr. Richard Bancroft. The court bishops immediately cast their eyes upon the celebrated Dr. Launcelot Andrews, then bishop of Ely, and pointed him out to the king, as one sufficiently qualified to take upon him the government of the church; and they thought this recommendation, joined to the king's known regard for the parts and piety of this eminent man, enough to secure his promotion to the primacy; but either the king himself thought of the bishop of London, or he was proposed to him by his old friend and patron, the Earl of Dunbar; and therefore, without taking the advice of those prelates, his majesty preferred bishop Abbot to the see of Canterbury, in which he was seated on the 9th of April 1611; and, on the 23d of June following, was sworn one of his majesty's most honourable privy-council.

Thus we see him, before he had arrived at the age of fifty, exalted to the highest dignity in the church, and celebrated by Godwin, one of his contemporaries, and a bishop too, for his learning, eloquence, and indefatigable diligence in preaching and writing, notwithstanding the great burthen that lay upon him, from the necessary attendance on the duties of his high office; especially presiding in the high-commission court, which sat weekly at his palace, and his regular assisting at council, which, while his health permitted, he never failed. At this time. he was in the highest favour both with prince and people, and appears to have had a principal hand in all the great transactions in church and state; he was never esteemed excessively fond of, power, or desirous of carrying his prerogative, as primate of England, to an extraordinary height; yet, as soon as he had taken possession of the archbishopric, he shewed a steady resolution in the maintainance of the rights of the high-commission court, and would not submit to Lord Coke's prohibitions. He likewise shewed his concern for the interest of the protestant religion abroad, by procuring his majesty's application to the States-general against Conrade Vorstius, whom they had called to the professorship of Leyden; in which affair

Sir Ralph Winwood was employed; and when it was found difficult to obtain from the States that satisfaction which the king desired, his Grace, in conjunction with the Lord treasurer, Earl of Salisbury, framed an expedient for contenting both parties. In all probability this alarmed some of the warm churchmen at home, who were by no means pleased with the king's discountenancing abroad those opinions which they themselves favoured in both universities; but, whatever their sentiments upon this matter might be, archbishop Abbot seems to have had as great concern for the church as any of them, when he thought it really in danger, as appears by a short and plain letter of his to Sir Ralph Winwood, about one Mr. Amias, who had been appointed preacher in the English congregation at the Hague, of whom the bishop says, that he was a fit person to breed up the captains and soldiers there in mutiny and faction, and consequently, very unfit for his office.

His great concern for the true interest of religion, made him a zealous promoter of the match between the Elector Palatine and princess Elizabeth; and that prince being here in the beginning of the year 1612, his Grace thought fit to invite the nobility that attended him to an entertainment, at his archepiscopal palace at Lambeth, where, though uninvited and unexpected, the elector himself resorted, to shew his great respect for the archbishop, and was so well pleased with his welcome, that when he feasted the members of the privy-council at Essex-house, he shewed particular respect to the archbishop, and those who attended him. On the fourteenth of February following, the marriage was solemnized with great splendour, the archbishop performing the ceremony on a stage erected in the middle of the royal chapel; and, on the 10th of April, his electoral highness returned to Germany; but before his departure, he made a present of plate to the archbishop, of the value of a thousand pounds, as a mark of the just sense he had of the pains his Grace had taken in the accomplishing his marriage; and as an additional mark of his confidence, he wrote to him from Canterbury, in relation to the causes of that discontent with which he left England.

The concern his majesty had shewn for removing Arminius first, and then Vorstius, had given their favourers in Holland so much uneasiness, that the famous Hugo Grotius, the great champion of their cause, was sent over to England, to endeavour to mitigate the king's

displeasure

displeasure, and, if possible, to give him a better opinion of the Remonstrants, as they began then to be called; and we have a very singular account of the man, and of his negociation, from the pen of the archbishop.*

In

*This is contained in a letter from his Grace to Sir Ralph Winwood, dated June 1, 1713, from Lambeth; it contains a great variety of curious particulars, some of which follow. "You must take heed how 66 you trust Dr. Grotius too far, for I perceive him to be so addicted to some partialities in those parts, that he feareth not to lash, so it may serve a turn. At his first coming to the king, by reason of his good "Latin tongue, he was so tedious, and full of tittle-tattle, that the "King's judgment was of him, that he was some pedant full of words, and of no great judgment. And I myself, discovering that to be his "habit, as if he did imagine that every man was bound to hear him, "so long as he would talk, (which is a great burthen to men replete * with business) did privately give him notice thereof, that he should "plainly and directly deliver his mind, or else he would make the "King weary of him. This did not so take place, but that afterwards "he fell to it again, as was especially observed one night at supper at "the Lord bishop of Ely's, whither being brought by Mr. Casaubon, "(as I think) my Lord intreated him to stay to supper, which he did. "There was present Dr. Steward, and another Civilian, unto whom he "flings out some question of that profession, and was so full of words, "that Dr. Steward afterwards told my Lord, that he did perceive by "him, that, like a smatterer, he had studied some two or three questions, whereof when he came in company he must be talking to vin"dicate his skill; but if he were put from those, he would shew him"self but a simple fellow. There was present also, Dr. Richardson, "the King's professor of divinity in Cambridge, and another doctor in "that faculty, with whom he falleth in also about some of those ques "tions which are now controverted among the ministers in Holland. "And being matters wherein he was studied, he uttered his skill con"cerning them: My Lord of Ely sitting still at supper all the while, "and wondering what a man he had there, who, never being in the 66 place or company before, could overwhelm them so with talk for so "long a time. I write this unto you so largely, that you may know "the disposition of the man, and how kindly he used my Lord of Ely "for his good entertainment. You will ask me what is this to you? "I must tell you, therefore, that you shall not be without your part. "At the same time that Sir Noel Caron was together with Grotius, "being now to take his leave of the King, it was desired of his ma "jesty, that he would not hastily give his judgment concerning points "of religion, now in difference in Holland, for that his majesty had in"formation but of one side, and that his ambassador did deal partially,

making all reports in favour of the one side, and saying nothing at "all for the other. For he might have let his majesty know, how fac"tious a generation these contradicters are; how they are like to our "puritans in England; how refractory they are to the authority of the "civil magistrate, and other things of like nature, as I wrote you in "my former letter. I doubt not but Grotius had his part in this in"formation, whereout I conceive you will make some use, keeping "these things privately to yourself, as becometh a man of your em"ployment. When his majesty told me this, I gave such an answer as 66 was fit; and now, upon the receipt of your letters, shall upon the "first occasion give further satisfaction. All things rest here as they ❝ did, and I, as ready to do you all good offices, remain, &c.

"GEORGE, Cant.