«fummoned, which will require more time than "will be before the Parliament is to ineet, fo "that her Majefty cannot do it at prefent without "inconvenience both to herself and the Clergy: "We do humbly represent to your Grace, that "we do refer ourselves to her Majefty's favour and wifdom, for the time when the Convocation "fhall fit and act; but withall do humbly infift upon having the claufe Præmunientes, or Præ"monentes, inferted in the Bishops' Parliamentary "writs, as hath been conftantly practifed in Eng"land, and likewife in Ireland, in all Parliaments "held before the late Revolution, and as we con"ceive it ought of right to be. Which claufe doth "not infer the actual fitting of a Convocation, but "the choofing proper members to be ready to fit "and act whenever her Majefty fhall think fit to "require their advice. All which we humbly pray your Grace to reprefent to her Majefty foon, &c. "Narciffus Armagh. "William Dublin. "Edward Down and Connor." Upon this, their claufes were directed to iffue; but the provincial writs were kept back (even by the Bishops' own confent; for they made no remonftrances concerning them, till it was too late); and fo, on Tuesday last, I fuppofe, the Parliament was opened, without an attending Convocation. The Bishops have plainly there, as well as elfewhere, deferted 7 deferted the true intereft of their Church and body. I know not whether this letter will come to your Lordship, for mine are opened, and kept back. That in which I fent the printed sheet your Lordship had* to the Bishop of Killaloo was fo dealt with, and never came to his hands. That paper therefore is now no fecret, I believe, to those to whom it was intended to be one. I beg your Lordship's bleffing, and am your ever dutiful and most humble fervant, FR. ATTERBURY. The Dean of Canterbury is returned, and to be confecrated, I think, to-morrow fortnight. Dr. Isham + preaches the fermon. See p. 113. + Zacheus, D. D. Proctor in Convocation for the Clergy of London. LET LETTER XLI. To Bp. TRELAWNY. Chelsea, O&. 9, 1703. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP, TH HE Archbishop* hath subscribed forty pound. The Bishop of London+, Ithink, twenty pound. The Bishop of Ely ten pound. And the Bishop of Bangor § five pound. The Dean of Exeter ||, twenty fhillings. This is, at prefent, all I know, relating to that matter. But by the next post, I hope to be able to give you a full and particular lift of what every Bishop hath fubscribed, Your Lordship, however, need be in no hafte as to that matter; for Mr. Thorold, who folicits the fubfcriptions, stays in town the greatest part of this winter. *Dr. Tenifon. Dr. Compton. Dr. Moore. Dr. Wake, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. I have I have inclosed to your Lordship the last verfes St. Evremond made, a few days before his death; which are remarkable for nothing but his hardinefs in dying profeffedly of Epicurus's Religion. They are called here his dernieres foûpires. They did not hinder one of the Prebendaries from burying him, nor all for forgiving their friends; nor will they hinder another * from putting a stone over him. I shall obferve your Lordship's directions as to the Bishop of Rochefter, and leave that matter to Dr. Edifbury, who will be in town. fuddenly. But I find, Blackburne is determined in his refolutions of not coming up hither this winter; and, indeed, my Lord, his enemies have been fo industrious in fpreading and fixing that black fcandal, that he would find but a very cold and mortifying reception here, till his friends have made a little way for him, by removing mens prejudices, and clearing up matters to his fervice. It is incredible how diligent fome people have been in fixing and riveting this malicious story; and how hard it is to undeceive those * See p. 118. It no where appears by these Letters what this malicious acculation was. His office in the Church those they have mifled, even by the most demonstrative evidence. I heard from Ireland last night, that the lower clergy, who are chofen upon the Parliament writs, and now attending at Dublin, but without fitting, or even meeting, have petitioned the Archbishops and Bishops to fupport the Conftitution*. Annefley is coming over hither; the Houfe of Commons having expelled him, and declared the borough for which he ferved incapable of another choice for this Parliament. They chofe a Chaplain by ballot. It was debated whether they should go that way to work, or leave it to the Speaker as formerly. The House divided even votes upon that quef tion; and Broderick the Speaker + determined it Church of Exeter was originally that of Subdean, in which he was inftalled, Jan. 26, 1694; he refigned it in April 1702, whilft the ftorm was raging against him, and was again inftalled July 27, 1704. The next year he was elected Dean, and installed Nov. 3, 1705; clected Bishop in June 1717 (confirmed Feb. 24); and May 12, 1724, was tranflated to the Archbishoprick of York; which high ftation, with that of Lord Almoner, he filled till his death, March 22, 1742-3. * See Letter XLIII. Alan Broderick, efq. had been appointed Solicitor General of Ireland by King Willlam, and 1 |