of Romish errors; but, on the contrary, abound with arguments against them, as energetic and zealous, as are to be met with in the ablest apologies of the reformed religion.

Reference may directly be made to his sermon, preached a short time after the circulation of this report, at St. Mary's at Oxford, before the University, "on the fifth of Novem"ber, in the year one thousand six hundred and thirty-eight, on the anniversary of the Gun"powder Treason," and by the appointment of his patron the Archbishop. In this sermon3, says the Oxford antiquary, several things were inserted against the Papists by the vice-chancellor, which gave such offence to them, that they rejected him with scorn, particularly to his friend Francis a St. Clara, who told An

Athen. Oxon. vol. 2. p. 400. and General Dictionary, printed at Oxford, 1638.

Francis a Sancta Clara was author of a religious work called "Deus, Natura, Gratia. Sive Tractatus de "Predestinatione, de Meritis & peccatorum remis❝sione, seu de Justificatione, & denique de sanctorum "Invocatione.

"Ubi ad trutinam Fidei Catholicæ examinatur con❝fessio Anglicana et ad singula puncta, quid teneat, qua"liter differat, excutitur.

"Doctrina etiam doctoris subtilis, D. Augustini sequacis acutissimi, olim Oxoniæ & Cantabrigiæ, &

thony Wood, that Taylor afterwards expressed some sorrow for what he had said. But there is reason for believing that the antiquary was too credulous on this occasion: for if the vice-chancellor had done what was reported, he must have completely new-modelled the whole discourse, it being as direct an attack upon the principles which actuated that party, as can well be imagined. That a man, like Taylor, should deliberately pronounce such a discourse, and afterwards childishly lament it in the ears of the very party he had so strenuously and successfully opposed, is scarcely to be credited.

In the first letter addressed "to a gentleman "who was tempted to the Romish church," written many years after, he denies the charge in terms too plain to be misinterpreted. After answering such parts of the subject as related

"solemnitur approbata, & honorificè prælecta, exponitur " & propugnatur.

"Accessit paraphrastica expositio reliquorum articu"lorum confessionis Anglica."

In the title page he styles himself "Olim Duacenses "in Collegio D. Bonaventuræ, Provinciæ Angliæ, F.F. Minorum, S. Theol. Lectorem primarium.". The book was published at Lyons in 1634.

to the particular case of the person he is addressing, he says, "the other thing I am to speak "to is, the report you have heard of my incli"nations to go over to Rome. Sir, that party "which need such lying stories for the support of their cause, proclaim their cause to "be very weak, or themselves to be very " evil advocates. Sir, be confident, they dare "not tempt me to do so, and it is not the

first time they have endeavoured to serve "their ends by saying such things of me. "But I bless God for it; it is perfectly "a slander, and it shall, I hope, for ever "prove so." r

About this time he was appointed chaplain in ordinary to the King, having already been made chaplain to the archbishop. And on the 23d of March, in the year 1637-8, he

* Συμβ Θεολογ, p. 68.

• See the dedication prefixed to the sermon.

23d

* It is stated in the Biographical Dictionaries, that Laud presented him to the rectory of Uppingham. But the following is a copy of the institution register at Peterborough. It is propable that it was his option, or that he used his interest to obtain it for his chaplain. "March 1637-8, the Rev. Jeremy Taylor, Clerk, M. A. "was instituted by Francis, Lord Bishop of Peter"borough, on the presentation of William, Lord Bishop "of London, on the resignation of Edward Martin."

was instituted to the rectory of Uppingham, in the county of Rutland, by Francis Dee, Bishop of Peterborough, on the presentation of William Juxon, Bishop of London; and on the resignation of Edward Martin, B.D.

He had no sooner received institution into this preferment, than he commenced his charge" over it; and continued to reside at

" A charge, which he found in the hands of Peter Hausted, curate under the late incumbent, and a man not unknown in the republic of letters. He was admitted to his degree of D. D. on the 1st of Nov. 1642, at Oxford, the day on which Taylor was admitted to his. Anthony Wood gives the following account of him. "This noted

person was born at Oundle, in Northamptonshire, edu"cated at Queen's college, in Cambridge, entered into

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holy orders, when A. M. became curate of Uppingham, "in Rutlandshire, and at length rector, as 'tis said, of "Hadham, in Herts. Upon the breaking out of the "Rebellion, or thereabouts, he became chaplain to the "Noble and Loyal Spencer, Earl of Northampton, stuck "close to him in all engagements, was with him at the "castle of Banbury, in Oxfordshire, when stoutly de"fended against them: where, concluding his last day "in the year 1645, was either buried in the precincts of "that castle, or else in the church of Banbury. This "person, who was always accounted an ingenious man “and an excellent poet, hath written and published "several things; as, 1st. The Rival Friends, a Comedy, "London, 1632, 4to. acted before the King and Queen

at Cambridge, 19th March 1630. 2d. Senile Odium: "Comedia Cantabrigiæ publicè academicis recitata in

x

Uppingham until the year 1642. On the 27th of May, in the year 1639, he was married in the church of that town to Phoebe Landisdale, by whom there is sufficient authority to state, he had four sons and three daughters.

A diligent search has been made after the family of Mrs. Taylor, which has not been attended with success. The fact of her marriage having been solemnized in the church at Uppingham might lead to the supposition of her having been an inhabitant of that neigh

"Coll. Reginali ab ejusdem Collegii juventute, Cantab. "1633, in 12 3d. Ten Sermons preached upon several "Sundays and Saints' Days, Lond. 1636, in 4to. To "which is added, an Assize Sermon. 4th. Ad Populum. "A Lecture to the People, with a Satire against Sepa❝ratists, Oxon. 1644, &c. in three sheets, 4to. It is a

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poem, and the title of it was given by King Charles the "First, who seeing it in manuscript, with the title of a "Sermon to the People, he altered it, and caused it to "be called a Lecture, &c. being then much pleased with "it. He also translated into English Hymnus* Tabaci, "&c. London, 1651, 8vo.

* Parish register of Uppingham, in which Taylor's hand writing occurs, from the year 1637 to 1641.

* Hymnus Tabaci, sive de Paeto libri duo, was written by Raphael Thorius, commonly called Thoris, by birth a Frenchman, who studied physic at Oxford, and died of the plague in London, 1625. Wood's Athen. Vol. II. p. 713. and Vol. I. p. 422.