Ken returns to England-The King's house at Winches- chester-His resolute and Christian conduct-Comply- Ken Bishop of Bath and Wells-Death of Charles the Se- Conduct of the fugitive soldiers after the battle of Sedge- moor-Sedgemoor-Account of the flight of the Duke Ken's first sermon in the King's Chapel-Reflections on the passive-obedience doctrine of the Church of Eng- General acclamation-Ken retires-His conduct justified from the disingenuous charges of Burnet-Leaves the Palace of Wells-Retires to Longleat-List of Non- juring clergy-His library-Promotions during his short I HAVE no doubt that many of my readers will think the first volume* of the LIFE OF BISHOP KEN too much enveloped with historical and miscellaneous matter, relating to the religious character and political events of the times during which the first and silent part of his christian course was I take this opportunity of pointing out an oversight in the first volume. Among the errata, the name of the Duke of Monmouth is inadvertently used for that of Lord Russell. The reader perhaps will be disposed to pardon such occasional inadvertency, when I inform him, that the printed sheet came down three times, and the error was discovered by mere accident, that instead of SIR THOMAS HERBERT'S "Memoirs of his Majesty Charles the First," from mere thoughtless association, I had written "SIR HERBERT TAYLOR!!” Ken's appearance on the scaffold with the Duke of Monmouth caused the former accidental association. passed on earth, and that, in the usual biographical phrase, "OUR HERO" scarcely yet appears! I feel this, and yet I know of nothing which could have been well omitted in the first volume; and much, I hope, will be found illustrative of many important circumstances of English history, connected with the times of this distinguished character. As to the freedom of my remarks on the evils of HUMAN INFALLIBILITY, whether papal or calvinistic, whether fulminated from the conclave or the synod, or assumed as the effect of immediate inspiration- I have spoken as I thought and felt. Respecting the historical documents relating to a period so eventful as the fall and restoration of the episcopal church, I seemed to hear Ken's dying voice, in his last will: "I die in the communion of the apostolic church, as it stands, equally distinguished from the innovations of popery and puritanism." In holding up the hideous picture of puritanism, I have kept this distinction steadily in view, and I should not have discharged faithfully my duty to his memory, to the christian world, to the principles which are as dear to me in an humbler situation as to him on his episcopal throne, if I had shrunk from doing this duty, firmly and faithfully, to the best of my understanding. In the volume now submitted to the candour of the public, our more undivided attention will be fixed on the individual career of this virtuous man, |