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" was held on the 1st of November, a con"vocation memorable both for the number of

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degrees created, and the persons upon whom "they were conferred. Amongst these Taylor " is conspicuous." But whilst he was receiving the honour of his degree, he was losing the subsistence which his benefice had afforded him. For on the 15th of the preceding October, the Parliament had resolved, "that the "fines, rents, and profits of archbishops,

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bishops, deans and chapters, and of such "notorious delinquents as had taken up arms against the Parliament, or had been active "in the commission of array, should be se"questered for the use and service of the "commonwealth."

The destruction of churches followed. The organs, painted windows, and monuments were defaced. Tithes were refused to those who read the Common Prayer; and the regular divines were plundered, their livings sequestered, and themselves driven away, to make room for schismatics and enthusiasts.

"adjourned to the next day." Charles Prince of Wales, and James Duke of York, were then created Masters of Arts.

After this time we have no trace of Taylor on his benefice at Uppingham. And as the next year commenced with the prosecution of the treaty between the parliamentary commissioners and the King, then at Oxford, it may be presumed that he was now in attendance on his royal master; who remained in that city until August, having been joined by the Queen on the 13th of July.

Being one of the King's retinue, he is reported to have accompanied the army, which was before Gloucester on the 10th of that month, and at Newbury on the 20th of October. But the loss sustained by the royal forces at

Though Taylor was compelled to leave his benefice, which was sequestered, it does not appear that he relinquished his claim to it. For no rector occurs between his departure and the year 1661, when John Allington signs himself as such. In the mean time, viz. at Easter, 1642, Anthony Harvey signs himself, as acting in the choice of a churchwarden, for the rector "in nomine et "potestate ejus." During the ten years following no record seems to have been made of the choice of officers; but on the 20th of April 1652, Daniel Swift is mentioned as choosing a churchwarden, and subscribes himself, "Pastor de Uppingham." From this date to the Easter of 1661 no signature occurs, either of rector or pastor. John Allington then signs himself "Rector there," and he was probably the same as had been curate in 1631. Hence it appears that no person had subscribed himself rector of the parish, between the time of Taylor's sequestration and the year 1661, when he was raised to the mitre.

the latter place, induced the King to return again to Oxford, where he assembled a Parliament on the 22d of January; which was prorogued from the 16th of April till the 8th of October. But the court continued at Oxford until the 7th of May 1645; and biographers have asserted, with great appearance of truth that, during these intervals of rest from warfare, Taylor, in concert with Usher " and Sheldon, was often summoned to preach before it.

On the 7th of May the King again took the field, and marched to relieve Chester; but afterwards diverted his course towards Leicester, and took it by storm on the 29th. Thence he advanced towards Daventry, with the intention of relieving Oxford, then threatened with

1 See Life of Usher, by John Aikin, M.D. 1812. p. 264. i At this time much of the worth and learning of the kingdom was concentrated in Oxford. Usher, driven from the primacy of Ireland, was there, residing in the house of his friend Dr. Prideaux, Bishop of Worcester; occupied in preparing an edition of the Epistles of Barnabas and Ignatius, and generally preaching every sabbath-day in some of the churches. Dr. Hammond also had sought an asylum in Magdalen-college, the seat of his earlier studies, and was employed in bringing before the world his Practical Catechism, and in publishing several other tracts upon subjects most perverted by the errors of the time.

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a siege; but hearing that the parliamentary general had withdrawn his troops, he turned to Northampton.

On the 14th of June the King lost almost the whole of his forces, and his cabinet of papers and letters, at the battle of Naseby. So complete was the victory on that day in favour of the Parliament, that the King, with some scattered horse was compelled to fly from Leicester to Ashby-de-la-Zouch; thence to Lichfield, and, for a safer retreat, into Wales. And though he was sufficiently recruited to advance with a body of horse towards Lichfield in the beginning of August, yet there is reason to conclude that Taylor did not return with him.

If, indeed, he were still in attendance on the army, he must have accompanied it through the counties of Nottingham, Lincoln, Huntingdon, and Bedford, and arrived at Oxford on the 28th of August; two days after which the forces marched to Campden; and, having taken a fruitless route through the counties of Gloucester, Hereford, Worcester, Salop, and Chester, again returned to Oxford.

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But the King's prospects were now enveloped in gloom; and to so low a state had he fallen on the 7th of April of the succeeding year, that he was compelled to quit Oxford at midnight, in disguise, accompanied only by Dr. Hudson and Mr. John Ashburnham, and to put himself under the protection of the Scots' army, then before Newark. From this day no chaplain was in attendance on his person. Though he wrote to the Parliament, desiring Dr. Sheldon and some other of his chaplains might be with him, he was refused; and it was not until the 16th of August of the year 1647, that we find them waiting upon him, which they then did at Hampton-court. But that Taylor was not of the number, appears from the publication of his "Liberty of Prophecying," which took place in this year; and was written, as he himself declares in his Epistle Dedicatory prefixed to that work, after his retreat into Wales.

The conclusion which is drawn from the facts produced is, that Taylor retired into Wales, either in the summer of the year 1645, or in the spring of the year succeeding.

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