every year it continues in the house, shall advance ten pounds in the price of the redemption, till such times they attain the age of fifteen; after which time, no increase of the price of redemption shall be upon any child; any one being, at any time, to be free for a hundred pounds, or less, if the governess of the house, her secre tary, twelve assistants, or the major part of them, consent to the same; the governess hath three, and the female secretary two voices, which are to be given by the chaplain, register, and treasurer, if it be a male child that is to be redeemed; but, if it be a female, then the power to rest in themselves.

That all the money, coming to the said hospital, either by annual payments, charity, redemption, or any other ways whatsoever, shall be placed into one common treasury, to be kept in one, or more iron chests; not to be opened, but by the consent of the governess, her secretary, the chief chaplain, or him that shall be governor of the male children, the register, and treasurer, who shall each of them have a key to so many several locks; and the said monies, other than the constant salaries of the officers, and daily mainte nance of the children, shall not be applied to any extraordinary use, but such as shall be appointed by the whole government of the hospital, in which number the keepers of those keys, for such pur. poses, are to be accounted part.

The accounts whereof, and of all monies coming into, or going out from the same, shall be kept by the register; and free access shall be had at all times, to the same, gratis, by the governors, or any of the visitors of the said hopital; and that, once a month, all comings in and goings out, and all other transactions on that account, shall be, by the register, fairly entered into a book for that purpose, which, shall always remain with the governess, and not to be taken out upon any pretence whatsoever; and that any person may search the register's book, for the fee of sixpence for one year's search.

That rules shall be made, from time to time, by the government, for trying the geniusses of the children, and dividing them into se veral classes and employments, according to their several capacities, and for entering them under proper mistresses and masters, upon certain salaries, or, otherwise, binding them apprentices to the said mistresses and masters within the house, or for clothing them, during their residence in, or at their going out of the said hospital.

As likewise for all other accidents, as lunaticks, idiots, and other infirmities, diseases, and sicknesses, and for separating the infirm from the healthful, and the infectious diseases from the other sick, and for all other contingencies, as there shall be occasion.

That none shall be detained, against their wills, above the time of twenty-one years, nor turned out at that time, if they desire to stay; it being in the power of any of them, at that age, to enter him, or herself, subject to the rules and duties of the house, for their natural lives; nor are any of them incapacitated to get their livings abroad, nor, being within the house, at any time to be turned out, but are

to be maintained by them in necessary meat, drink, cloaths, and lodging, during their natural lives, or till they recover of their distempers, so as to be able and willing to leave the same.

But no person, once discharged, and out of the care of the house for six months, shall be capable of demanding enterance into the same again, or of maintenance from it, but by the consent of the government thereof; and that such, as return to the house, shall give good testimony, that they have spent their time well, and without scandal, or be for ever expelled the society.

That further rules, for the establishment and foundation of the said community, or hospital, and for visiting the same, may be ap. pointed in the charter for endowing the same; and such penalties imposed, on such as practise without license from the corporation, as to your majesty's wisdom shall seem meet.

To which all is humbly submitted.

THE

PROPHECY OF BISHOP USHER.

To which is added two Letters;

ONE FROM

SIR WILLIAM BOSWELL,

(AMBASSADOR AT THE HAGUE),

TO THE MOST REVEREND WILLIAM LAUD,
LATE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY;

THE OTHER FROM

THE REVEREND JOHN BRAMHALL,

BISHOP OF DERRY IN IRELAND,

TO THE MOST REVEREND JAMES USHER,

LATE ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH.

London, printed in the Year 1687. Quarto, containing twelve pages.

THE prediction of the most learned and pious Archbishop Usher

is very remarkable: as it was printed about seven years ago with license, and the truth of the matter of fact therein delivered, never, that I know of, denied, but confirmed by many, which, in short, was thus that the year before this holy primate died (who was buried in the Abbey at Westminster, the 17th of April, 1656, the usurper Cromwell allowing two hundred pounds towards his funeral; so great his worth, that it even charmed that tyrant, otherwise far from

being a friend to any of his profession) an intimate friend of the archbishop's asking him, among other discourse, what his present apprehensions were concerning a very great persecution which should fall upon the church of God in those nations of England, Scotland, and Ireland (of which he had heard him speak with great confidence many years before, when we were in the highest and fullest state of outward peace and settlement) and whether he did believe those sad times to be past, or that they were yet to come? he answered, that they were yet to come, and that he did as confidently expect it as ever he had done: adding, that this sad persecution would fall upon all the protestant churches of Europe. His friend arguing, that he hoped the affliction might now be over, and be intended of our late calamitous civil wars; the reverend prelate turning towards him, and fixing his eyes upon him, with that serious and severe look, which he usually had when he spoke God's Word, and not his own, and when the power of God seemed to be upon him, and to constrain him to speak, said thus: Fool not yourselves with such hopes, for I tell you, all, you have yet seen, hath been but the beginning of sorrows, to what is yet to come upon the protestant churches of Christ, who will, before long, fall under a sharper persecution than ever yet has been upon them; therefore said he to him, look you be not found in the outward court, but a worshiper in the temple before the altar, for Christ will measure all those that profess his name, and call themselves his people; and outward worshipers he will leave out, to be trodden down by the Gentiles. The outward court, says he, is the formal christian, whose religion lies in performing the outside duties of christianity, without having an inward life and power of faith and love, uniting them to Christ, and those God will leave to be trodden down, and swept away by the Gentiles: but the worshipers within the temple, and before the altar, are those who do indeed worship God in spirit and in truth, whose souls are made his temples, and he is honoured and adored in the most inward thoughts of their hearts, and they sacrifice their lusts and vile affections, yea, and their own wills to him; and these God will hide in the hollow of his hand, and under the shadow of his wings? And this shall be one great difference between this last, and all the other preceding persecutions: for, in the former, the most eminent and spiritual ministers and christians did generally suffer most, and were most violently fallen upon; but in this last persecution, these shall be preserved by God, as a seed to partake of that glory which shall immediately follow, and come upon the church, as soon as ever this storm shall be over; for as it shall be the sharpest, so it shall be the shortest persecution of them all; and shall only take away the gross hypocrites, and formal professors, but the true spiritual believers shall be preserved till the calamity be over-past.

His friend then asked him, by what means or instruments this great trial should be brought on? He answered, by the papists. His friend replied, that it seemed very improbable they should be able to do it, since they were now little countenanced, and but few in

these nations, and that the hearts of the people were more set against them, than ever since the reformation. He answered again, that it would be by the hands of the papists, and in the way of a sudden massacre, and that the then pope should be the chief instrument of it.

He also added, that the papists were, in his opinion, the Gentiles spoken of, Rev. xi. to whom the outward court should be left, that they might tread it under foot; they having received the Gentiles worship in their adoring images, and saints departed, and in taking. to themselves many mediators: and this, said he, the papists are now designing among themselves, and therefore be sure you be ready.

This gracious man repeated the same things in substance to his only daughter, the lady Tyrril, and that with many tears, and much about the same time.

A Letter from Sir William Boswell, to the most Reverend William Laud, late Archbishop of Canterbury, remaining with Sir Robert Cotton's choice Papers.

Most reverend,

As I am here employed by our sovereign lord the king, your grace can testify that I have left no stone unturned for his majesty's advancement; neither can I omit (whenever I meet with treacheries or conspiracies against the church and state of England) the sending your grace an account in general. I fear matters will not answer your expectations, if your grace do but seriously weigh them with deliberation. For, be you assured, the Romish clergy have gulled the misled party of our English nation, and that under a puritanical dress; for which the several fraternities of that church have lately received indulgence from the see of Rome, and council of cardinals, or to educate several of the young fry of the church of Rome, who are natives of his majesty's realms and dominions, and instruct them in all manner of principles and tenents, contrary to the episcopacy of the church of England.

There are in the town of Hague, to my certain knowledge, two dangerous impostors, of whom I have given notice to the Prince of Orange, who have large indulgences granted them, and known to be of the church of Rome, although they seem puritans, and do con. verse with several of our English factors.

The one, James Murray, a Scotchman, and the other John Napper, a Yorkshire blade. The main drift of these intentions is, to pull down the English episcopacy, as being the chief support of the imperial crown of our nation: for which purpose, above sixty Romish clergymen are gone, within these two years, out of the monasteries of the French king's dominions, to preach up the Scotch covenant, and Mr. Knox's descriptions and rules within that kirk, and to spread the same about the northern coasts of England. Let, therefore, his majesty have an inkling of these crotchets, that he

might be persuaded, whenever matters of the church come before you, to refer them to your grace, and the episcopal party of the realm for there are great preparations making ready against the liturgy and ceremonies of the church of England: and all evil con trivances here and in France, and in other protestant holdings, to make your grace and the episcopacy odious to all reformed protestants abroad. It has wrought so much on divers of the foreign ministers of the protestants, that they esteem our clergy little better than papists. The main things that they hit in our teeth are, our bishops to be called lords; the service of the church, the cross in baptism, confirmation, bowing at the name of Jesus, the communion tables placed alter-ways, our manner of consecrations, and several other matters which are of late buzzed into the heads of the foreign clergy, to make your grievances the less regarded in case of a change, which is aimed at, if not speedily prevented.

Your grace's letter is carefully delivered, by my gentleman's own hands, unto the prince.

Thus craving your grace's hearty prayers for my undertakings abroad, as also for my safe arrival, that I may have the freedom to kiss your grace's hands, and to tell you more at large of these things, I rest

Hague, June 12, 1640.

Your grace's most humble servant,

W. B

A Letter from the Right Reverend John Bramhall, Bishop of Derry, afterwards Primate of Ireland, to the most Reverend James Usher, Archbishop of Armagh,

Most reverend,

I THANK God I do take my pilgrimage patiently, yet I cannot but condole the change of the church and state of England; and more in my pilgrimage than ever, because I dare not witness and declare to that straying flock of our brethren in England, who have misled them, and who they are that feed them. But that your lordship may be more sensible of the church's calamities, and of the dangers she is in of being ruined, if God be not merciful unto her, I have sent you a part of my discoveries, and it from credible hands, at this present having so sure a messenger, and so fit an opportunity. It plainly appears, that in the year 1646, by order from Rome, above one-hundred of the Romish clergy were sent into England, consisting of English, Scotch, and Irish, who had been educated in France, Italy, Germany, and Spain; part of these within the several schools there appointed for their instructions. In each of these Romish nurseries, these scholars were taught several handicraft. trades and callings, as their ingenuities were most bending, besides their orders, or functions of that church.

They have many yet at Paris a fitting up to be sent over, who twice in the week oppose one another; one pretending presbytery,