1 do as much or more good in my prefent ftation than in a higher, and fhall not have one jot lefs intereft or influence upon any others to any good purpose; for the people naturally love a man that will take great pains and little preferment. But, on the other hand, if I could force my inclination to take this great place, I foresee that I should fink under it, and grow melancholy and good for nothing, and after a little while die as a fool dies. But this, Madam, is a great deal too much, upon one of the worst and niceft fubjects in the world, a man's felf. As I was finishing this long letter, which if your goodness will forgive I hope never to have occafion to try it fo far again, I received your letter, and fhall fay no more of Dr. More, of whofe preaching I always knew your Ladyfhip's opinion. The perfon I mentioned was Mr. Kidder, on whom the King has bestowed the Deanery of Peterborough, and therefore cannot have it. I am fully of your Ladyfhip's opinion, that what my Lord Bedford does in this matter must not appear to be done by him, for fear of bringing other importunities upon the King. If my Lord thinks well of Dr. Horneck, Dr. More would then certainly have St. Andrews. I thank God for the health your family enjoys, as for that of my own; and equally pray for the continuance of it, and all other bleffings. I would fain find room to tender my humble fervice to my Lord Bedford, my Lord Ruffell, and two of the best young ladies I know. I am, honoured Madam, more than I can exprefs, your most obliged and obedient fervant. LETTER XV. Lady Ruffell to the Dean of St. Paul's. WHENEVER, Mr. Dean, you are dif pofed, and at leisure to give it me, I can be well content, I affure you, to read the longest letter you can write. But I had not fo foon told you a truth you cannot chuse but know, if this paper was not to be haftened to you with a little errand that I am well enough pleased to be employed in; because the effect will be good, though the caufe does not pleafe me: being you faid Mr. Kidder * cannot have Covent-Garden, because he is Dean of Peterborough (though I do not conceive why, unless it is because he is great, and others are not). But Lord Bedford leans ftrongly to offer him to the King: it is from what you faid to me has made him do fo. Yet if you judge he fhould not now be the man, I am enjoined to obtain from you fome character of one Mr. Freeman †, and Mr. Williams: the laft I have heard you speak well of, but I did not heed his just character. What you think fit to fay to me fhall not be imparted but in general terms, if you like that beft; though Lord Bedford is as clofe as can be de fired, and as well inclined as poffible to do the beft; and will have me say something of these men before he fixes, which my Lord Shrewsbury advises him to do quickly. More he is averfe to; Horneck § the parish is alfo, as he is well informed, to a high degree. So Kidder, Williams, and Freeman, are before him. I defire two or three lines upon this subject, by the firft poft if you please. Though my paper is full enough, especially to a man that has no more spare time than you have, yet I must just touch upon fome other parts of your letter, being they touch me most fenfibly. I blefs God that inclines the heart of our King to do well; it looks as if God meant a full mercy to thefe long threatened kingdoms. I thank Mr. Dean very heartily for those thoughts that influence and heighten his charity to Mr. J—n. I will not fay what I do more, but you muft needs know. Mr. Dean, now a few words to your own concern, that bears fo heavy upon your mind, and I have done. I know not if I fhould use the phrafe," Integrity is my idol," but I am fure I admire and love it hugely wherever I meet it. I would never have a fincere perfon croffed. I do pity you, Rd. Kidder, afterwards Bishop of Bath and Wells (in Kenn's ftead, 1691), was killed with his lady at Wells, by the fall of a ftack of chim nies during the high wind, 27th Nov. 1703. 1707 Dr. Freeman died Dean of Peterborough, Williams, afterwards Bishop of Chichester, died 1709. More died Bishop of Ely, 1714. 1696-7. Mr. 66 Mr. Dean, and think you have a hard game upon your hands, which, if it should happen you cannot play off your own way, you can do better than a man lefs mortified to the world could; being if you ferve the intereft of religion and the King's, you are doing what you have dedicated yourself to, and therefore can be more regardless of the ignorant or wicked cenfurer; for, upon my word, I believe you, will incur no other: your character is above it, if what you fear fhould come upon you. But as I conceive there are fix months yet to deliberate upon this matter, you know the old faying, Many things fall out between the cup and the lip :" and pray do not fill your head with the fears of a trouble, though never fo great, that is at a diftance, and may never be; for if you think too much on a matter you dread, it will certainly disturb your quiet, and that will infallibly your health, and you cannot but fee, Sir, that would be of a bad confequence. The King is willing to hear you. You know your own heart to do good, and you have lived fome time, and have had experience. You fay well that fuch an one is the beft and wort friend. I think I fhould have had more tenderness to the will or temper of my friend and for his juftification, one may fay, he prefers good to many, before gratifying one fingle perfon, and a public good ought to carry a man a great way. But I fee your judgment (if your inclination does not bias too far) is heartily against him in this matter, that you think you cannot do fo much good then as now. We must fee if you can convince him thereof; and when he is mafter of that notion, then let him labour to make your way out of thofe briars, he has done his part to bring you into; though fomething elfe would have done it without him, I believe, if I am not mistaken in this, no more than I am that this letter is much too long, frem, &c. Lord of Bedford had liked him, I could not have thought it fit, knowing how neceffary it is to the good effect of a man's miniftry, that he do not lie under any great prejudice with the people. The two whom the Bishop of Chichester hath named, are, I think, of the worthieft of the city minifters, fince Mr. Kidder declines it, for the reafon given by the Bifhop, and, if he did not, could not have it; not because of any inconfiftency in the preferments, but because the King, having fo many obligations yet to anfwer, cannot, at the fame time, give two fuch preferments to one man. For the two perfons mentioned, if comparison muft be made between two very good men, I will tell your Ladyship my free thoughts of them. Mr. Williams is really one of the best men I know, and moft unwearied in doing good, and his preaching very weighty and judicious. The other is a truly pious man, and of a winning converfation. He preaches well, and hath much the more plaufible delivery, and, I think, a ftronger voice. Both of them (which I had almoft forgot) have been steady in all changes of times. This is the plain truth; and yet 1 muft not conceal one particular and prefent advantage on Dr. Freeman's fide. On Sunday night last the King asked me concerning a city minifter, whofe name he had forgot; but faid, he had a very kind remembrance of him, having had much converfation with him, when his Majefty was very young in Holland, and wondered he had never feen him fince he came into England. I could not imagine who he should be, till his Majesty told me he was the Englifh Ambaffador's chaplain above twenty years ago; meaning Sir William Temple's. Upon that I knew it was Dr. Freeman. The King faid, that was his name, and defired me to find him out, and tell him that he had not forgot him, but remembered with pleasure the acquaintance he had with him many years ago; and had charged me, when there was an opportunity, to put him in mind of him. This I thought both great goodnefs in the King, and modely in Dr. Freeman * never to fhew himself to * Dr. Freeman was inftituted to the rectory of Covent Garden, Dec. 28, 1689. the King all this while. By this your Ladyship will judge who is like to be moft acceptable to the King, whofe fatisfaction, as well as fervice, I am obliged to regard, especially in the difpofal of his own preferments, though Mr. Williams be much more my friend. I mentioned Mr. Johnfon again, but his Majesty put on other difcourfe, and my Lord Privy Seal told me yesterday morning, that the King thought it a little hard to give penfions out of his purfe, infead of church preferments; and tells me Mr. Johnson is very fharp upon me. His Lordship called it railing, but it shall not move me in the leaft. His Lordship aked me, whether it would not be well to move the King to give him a good bishopric in Ireland, there being feveral void. I thought it very well, if it would be acceptable. His Lordship faid, that was all one; the offer would ftop many mouths as well as his; which, I think, was well confidered. I will fay no more of myself, but only thank your Ladyship for your good advice, which I have always a great difpofition to follow, and a great deal of reafon, being affared it is fincere as well as wife. The King hath fet upon me again, with greater earnestnefs of perfuafion than is fit for one that may command. I begged as earnefly to be considered in this thing, and fo we parted upon good terms. I hope fomething will happen to hinder it. I put it out of my mind as much as I can, and leave it to the good providence of God for the thing to find its own ifae. To that I commend you and yours, and am, Madam, yours, by all poffible obligations. If Mr. Johnfon refufe this offer, and it fhould be my hard fortune not to be able to get out of this difficulty, which I will, if it be poible to do it without provocation, I know one that will do more for Mr. Jennion than was defired of the King, but as from the King, for any thing that he shall know. But I hope fome much better way will be found, and that there will be neither occation nor opportunity for this *. The King grants Johnfon goo 1 a-year for his own and hafin..ki wiz 100040 is money, 1 And a puce of soch v for his fon LETTER XVII. Lady Ruffell to Lady Sunderland. THINK I understand almost less than I any body, yet I knew better things. than to be weary of receiving what is fo good as my Lady Sunderland's letters; or not to have a due regard of what is fo valuable as her esteem and kindness, with her promifes to enjoy it my whole life. Truly, Madam, I can find no fault but one, and that is conftantly in all the favours you direct to me, an unfortunate ufelefs creature in the world, yet your Ladyfhip owns me as one had been of fome fervice to you. Alas! I know I was not, but my intention was pure; I pitied your forrow, I was hearty in withing you cafe, and if I had an occafion for it I could be diligent, but no further ability; and you are very good to receive it kindly. But, fo unhappy a folicitor as I was once for my poor felf and family, my heart mifgives me when I aim at any thing of that kind any more. Yet I hope I have at laft learned to make the will of God, when declared, the rule of my content, and to thank him for all the hard things I fuffer, as the best affurances of a large fhare in that other bleffed ftate; and if what is dear to us is got thither before us, the sense what they enjoy, and we in a little while fhall with them, ought to fupport us and our friends. LETTER XVIII. The fame to Dr. Fitzwilliam. Woborne Abbey, 28th August 1690. I ASSURE YOU, good Doctor, I was very well pleafed this evening to receive another letter from you; and much more than ordinary, because your lat had fome gentle hints in it, as if you thought I had taken fome offence, though you kindly again faid you could not, or would not, imagine it, not being confcious of omillion or commin, and indeed you have good reason for faying fo; I will at any time juftify you in it, and do more commend your belief, that I either had not your letters, or was not well, than I could your mikruf of me for what will never happen. But an old dated paper has convinced you, and a newer had, if I had known where to have found you; for in yours of the 5th of Auguft you intimate that you meant (if it did not too much offend the eyes of a friend of mine that were weak) to make a ftay at Windfor of ten days longer, and made no mention then whither you went. Now truly I had that letter, when I was obliged to write much to fuch as would congratulate my being well again, fome in kindnefs, and fome in ceremony. But fo it was, that when I went to write, I found I fhould not know where to fend it, fo I deferred it till I had learnt that. I fent to Mrs. Smith, he could not tell; I bid John fend to Richard at Straton to know if you were at Chilton, for I know Lady Gainsborough was not there then, but now you have informed me yourself. By report I fear poor Lady Gainsbo. rough is in new trouble, for though the has all the help of religion to fupport her, yet that does not thut us out from all forrow; it does not direct us to infenfibility, if we could command it, but to a quiet fubmiffion to the will of God, making his ours as much as we can. Indeed, Doctor, you are extremely in the right to think that my life has been fo embittered, it is now a very poor thing to me; yet I find myfelf careful enough of it. I think I am ufeful to my children, and would endure hard things, to do for them till they can do for themfelves; but, alas! I am apt to conclude if I had not that, yet I fhould fill find out fome reason to be content to live, though I am weary of every thing, and of the folly, the vanity, the madness of man most of all. There is a fhrinking from the feparation of the foul from the body, that is implanted in our natures, which enforces us to conferve life and it is a wife providence; for who would elfe endure much evil, that is not taught the great advantages of patient fuffering? I am heartily forry, good Doctor, that you are not exempt, which I am fure you are not, when you cannot exercife your care as formerly among your flock at Cotenham. But I will not enlarge on this matter, nor any other at this time. That I might be certain not to omit this refpect to you, I have begun with it, and have Fjected as a Nonjuror. many behind, to which I must haften, but firft defire you will prefent my moft humble fervice to my Lady: I had done myfelf the honour to write to her, juft as I believe he was writing to me, but I will thank her yet for that favour; either trouble, or the pleasure of her fon's fettlement, engroffes her, 1 apprehend, at this time, and business I know is an attendant of the laft. I am, Sir, your conftant friend and fervant. LETTER XIX. Dean Tillotson to Lady Ruffell. Hon. Madam, Edmonton, Oct. 9, 1690. SINCE I had the honour of your letter, I was tempted to have troubled you with one of mine upon the fad occafion of your late great lofs of two fo near relations, and fo near together †. But I confidered, why fhould I pretend to be able either to inftruct or comfort my Lady Ruffell, who hath borne things much more grievous with fo exemplary a meeknefs and fubmiffion to the will of God, and knows, as well as I can tell her, that there is no remedy in thefe cafes but patience, nor any comfort but in the hopes of the happy meeting of our deceased friends in a better life, in which forrow and tears fhall have no more place to all eternity! And now I crave leave to impart fomething of my own trouble to your Ladyship. On Sunday last the King commanded me to wait upon him the next morning at Kenfington. I did fo, and met with what I feared. His Majefty renewed his former gracious offer, in fo preffing a manner, and with fo much kindness, that I hardly knew how to refift it. I made the best acknowledgments I could of his undeferved grace and favour to me, and begged of him to confider all the confequences of this matter, being well affured, that all that form which was raised in convoca tion the last year by thofe who will be the church of England was upon my ac count, and that the Bishop of Lwas at the bottom of it, out of a jealousy that I might be a hindrance to him in at The death of her fifter, the Countess of Mountague, and of her nephew, Wriothefly Baptift, Earl of Gainsborough. taining "aining what he defires, and what, I call God to witnefs, I would not have. And I told his Majefty, that I was still afraid that his kindness to me would be greatly to his prejudice, especially if he carried it fo far as he was then pleased to speak. For I plainly faw they could not bear it; and that the effects of envy and ill-will towards me would terminate upon him. To which he replied, that if the thing were once done, and they faw no remedy, they would give over, and think of making the best of it; and therefore he muft defire me to think seriously of it; with other expreffions not fit for me to repeat. To all which I answered, that in obedience to his Majesty's commands I would confider of it again, though I was afraid I had already thought more of it than had done me good, and must break through one of the greateft refolutions of my life, and facrifice at once all the ease and contentment of it; which yet I would force myfelf to do, were I really convinced that I was in any measure capable of doing his Majefty and the public that fervice which he was pleased to think I was. He smiled and faid, You talk of trouble; I believe you will have much more eafe in it than in the condition in which you now are. Thinking not fit to fay more, I humbly took leave. And now, Madam, what fhall I do? My thoughts were never at fuch a plunge. I know not how to bring my mind to it; and, on the other hand, though the comparifon is very unequal, when I remember how I faw the King affected in the cafe of my Lord of Shrewsbury, I find myself in great ftrait, and would not for all the world give him the like trouble. I pray God to direct me to that which he fees and knows to be beft, for I know not what to do. I hope I fhall have your prayers, and would be glad of your advice, if the King would fpare me fo long. I pray God to preserve you yours. I am, honoured Madam, &c. and LETTER XX. Lady Ruffell to the Dean of St. Paul's. [About the middle of October 1690.] When that Earl refigned the post of Secretary of State about 1690; to divert him from which, Dean Tillotson had been fent to his Lordship by the King. Burnet, vol. ii. p. 45. are comfortable refreshments to my, for The fcene will foon alter to that peaceful and eternal home in profpect. But in this time of our pilgrimage viciffitudes of all forts is every one's lot. And this leads me to your cafe, Sir. The time feems to be come that you muft put anew in practice that fubmiffion +, you have so powerfully both tried yourfelf, and inftructed others to. I fee no place to escape at; you must take up the crofs, and bear it: I faithfully believe it has the figure of a very heavy one to you, though not from the cares of it; fince, if the King gueffes right, you toil But this work is of your more now. own chufing, and the dignity of the other is what you have bent your mind against, and the ftrong refolve of your life has been to avoid it. Had this even proceeded to a vow, it is, I think, like the virgin's of old, to be diffolved by the father of your country. Again, though contemplation, and a few friends well chofen, would be your grateful choice, yet, if charity, obedience, and neceffity, call you into the great world, and where enemies encompass round about, must not you accept it? And each of thefe, in my mean apprehenfion, determines you to do it. In fhort, it will be a noble facrifice you will make; and I am confident you will find as a reward, kind and tender fupports, if you do take the burthen upon you: there is, as it were, a |