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timents coming from a man who could have no interested views,—particularly when all claimed the rights of conscience, must have disposed the more reflecting Christians to imagine, after all, a meek and humble spirit might dwell even with those who were EPISCOPALIANS!

The "Religio Medici" of Sir Thomas Brown, 1642, translated into almost all the languages of Europe, was again reprinted; and now Calvinism received a deep wound by the translation into English of Sancroft's "FUR PREDESTINATUS;" and the visible effects of this dismal creed made the reflecting almost ashamed of the name.

How silently and steadily these causes began to work, after the "godly" Visitation, may be further seen from some circumstances connected with the academical life of the great George Bull, in his extreine old age made Bishop of St. David's, author of some of the most substantial and eloquent works of religious reasoning amongst the illustrious host of the writers in the Church of England. He was not at Oxford at the time of the Visitation, but he refused to take the " Engagement,"* and retired to North Cadbury, in Somerersetshire. Here he was placed under a Puritan Clergyman, Mr. Thomas, the Minister of Ubley. The books put into his hands were of Thomas's wretched school; but his own son furnished him secretly with the works of Hammond and Taylor, to the consternation of the father, who exclaimed, "his son would corrupt his pupil!" Such works, who can doubt, must have had their weight with thousands, now beginning to reflect and compare. Bull was privately ordained by the Tutor

* Oath of allegiance to Cromwell,

of Chillingworth, ex-Bishop of Oxford,* and he regularly passed two months in every year at Oxford, till the Restoration. So died away that spirit of insane Puritanism which had ruled so long.

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But, it should seem, the serpent is again uncoiling, again lifting himself up from his long slumber. The Scholastic-Theologian † is awakened from his sleep, who lived only to witness the first fruits of that dragon's teeth which he, and some of his predecessors, innocently sowed. The jargon of these times is already revived; and, even in the beatified apocalypse of Scotch secondsight, the reign of KING JESUS is approaching.

* The following notice of Bishop Skinner, from Kettel's Register, No. 171, the reader will perhaps think interesting: Trinity College.-"Robertus Skinner, natus apud Northamptonium, in com. Northamp. dioces. Petriburgens. annoru' 16 admissus est Scholaris Junii 2o ao 1607. Admissus Socius

Junii 30 ao D'm' 1613."

Of Chillingworth, his pupil, in the same Register, No. 199, is the following entry:

“Gulielmul Chillingworth, natus in perochia (sic) Sti Martini, in Civitat. Oxon. Annorum 16 admissus est Scholaris 20 die Junii, anno Dom. 1618. Admissus est Socius 100 die Junii 1628."

Skinner, who had been Fellow and Tutor at Trinity College, is said to have been the only Bishop who continued to ordain Priests and Deacons, according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England, during the suppression of the Hierarchy. Chillingworth had been one of his pupils, when a Fellow of the College; and Bathurst, afterwards President and Dean of Wells, assisted him as examining Chaplain.

+ Bishop Davenant.

SUPPRESSION AND REVIVAL OF

CATHEDRAL SERVICES.

"After cathedrals and organs were put down in the grand Rebellion," says the same quaint and delightful chronicler* we have before quoted, "William Ellis, bachelor of music, and late organist of St. John's college, kept up a weekly meeting in his house opposite to that place where the Theatre was afterwards built, which kept him and his wife in a comfortable condition. The meeting was much frequented, and many masters of music were there, and such that had belonged to choirs, being out of all employ, and therefore the meeting, as all other music-meetings, did flourish; and music, especially vocal, being discountenanced by the Presbyterians and Independents, because it favoured much the cathedrals and episcopacy, it was the more used. But when King Charles was restored, and episcopacy, and cathedrals with it, then did the meetings decay, especially for this reason, because the masters of music were called away to cathedrals and collegiate choirs."

Besides the members of the club which joined it about the same time with Ken, there were other earlier members, whom Anthony à Wood thus describes :

"The usual company that met and performed their parts were:

"Joh. Cock, M. A. Fellow of New College by the authority of the Visitors! He afterwards became Rector of Heyford-Wareyne, near Bister; and marrying with one of the Woodwards of Woodstock, lived an uncomfortable life with her.

"John Jones, M. A. Fellow of the same College by the same authority.

* Anthony à Wood.

"George Croke, M. A. Fellow of the said College also, by the same authority. He was afterwards drowned, with Brome, son of Brome Whorwood, of Hatton, near Oxon, in their passage from Hampshire to the Isle of Wight, 5 Sept. 1657.

"John Friend, M. A. Fellow also of the said house, and by the same authority. He died in the country an. 1658.

"George Stradling, M. A. Fellow of All Soul's College, an admirable lutinist, and much respected by Wilson the professor.

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Ralph Sheldon, gent. a Roman Catholic of StepleBarton, in Oxfordshire, at this time living in Halywell, near Oxon; admired for his smooth and admirable way in playing on the viol. He died in the city of Westminster, in 165.., and was buried in the chancel of the church of St. Martin in the Fields.

"Thomas Wren, a younger son of Matthew Wren, Bishop of Ely, a sojournour now in the house of Francis Rowman, bookseller, living in St. Marie's parish, in Oxon.

"Thomas James (or Janes), M. A. of Magdalen College, would be among them, but seldome played. He had a weekly meeting in his chamber at the college, practised much on the Theorbo lute, and Gervase Westcote being often with him as an instructor, A. W. would sometimes go to their meeting, and play with them.

"The music-masters, who were not in Oxon, and frequented the said meeting, were:

"William Ellis, bachelor of music, owner of the house wherein the meeting was. He alwaies played his part either on the organ or virginal.

"Dr. John Wilson, the public professor, the best at

the lute in all England. He sometimes played on the lute, but mostly presided the consort.

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Curteys, a lutinist, lately ejected from some choire or cathedral church. After his Majestie's restoration, he became gentleman, or singing-man, of Christ Church, in Oxon.

"Thomas Jackson, a bass-violist, afterwards one of the choire of St. John's College, in Oxon.

"Edward Low, organist, lately of Christ Church. He play'd only on the organ; so, when he performed his part, Mr. Ellis would take up a counter-tenor viol, and play, if any person were wanting to performe that part.

"Gervace Littleton alias Westcot, or Westcot alias Littleton, a violist. He was afterwards a singing-man of St. John's College.

"William Glexney (or Flexney), who had belonged to a choire before the warr. He was afterwards a gentleman, or singing-man, of Christ Church. He play'd well upon the bass-viol, and sometimes sung his part. He died 6 Nov. 1692, aged 79 or thereabouts.

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Proctor, a young man and a new comer. He died soon after.

"John Parker, one of the universitie musitians, would be somtimes among them; but Mr. Low, a proud man, could not endure any common musitian to come to the meeting, much less to play among them.

"Among these I must put John Haselwood, an apothecary, a starch'd, formal clisterpipe, who usually play'd on the bass-viol, and sometimes on the counter tenor. He was very conceited of his skill (though he had but little of it), and therefore would be ever and anon ready to take up a viol before his betters; which being observed by all, they usually called him Handlewood."Wood.

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