brought out of his treasures things both new and old; who aimed continually to edify such as resorted to him; who in doctrine followed not this or that party, but with the Church of England, went between the so-called Via Media on the one hand, and the rigid nonconformist on the other; who had indeed his defects, but greater deserts; if not so apostolic as Leighton, more profitable and far more orthodox than Jeremy Taylor.

In the following year, 1641, Henry Myriel published 'Daily Devotions, or the Christian's Morning and Evening Sacrifice, Digested into Prayers and Meditations, for every day of the week and other occasions, with some short directions for a godly Life; Written by John Colet, Doctor in Divinity, and sometime Dean of St. Paul's, London.' To this truly devout little manual, Fuller contributed a brief memoir of Dean Colet. In it, he calls him a Luther before Luther, for his doctrine."

66

Of Fuller's first marriage, which was probably in 1640, no memorial has hitherto reached me. In the register of Broad Windsor, the baptism of his eldest son, John, is entered as on June 6, 1641.

Fuller was related to the Parkers of Suffolk, and the Seymours, probably of Devon. About 1641, he left Broad Windsor for London. There he preached for the most part at the Inns of Court, until, says his anonymous biographer, he was chosen by the Master and Brotherhood of the Savoy (as well as earnestly desired and entreated by that small parish) to accept the lectureship at their church or chapel of St. Mary: where he continued for about

two years, until compelled by the distractions of that period to take refuge in Oxford.

In the month of April, 1641, Fuller was at Salisbury, attending his uncle, Bishop Davenant, during the last illness of that most pious and eminent prelate. "His father was a wealthy and religious citizen of London, but born at Davenant's lands in Little Hedingham, in Essex, where his ancestors had continued in a worshipful degree from Sir John Davenant, who lived in the time of King Henry III. He bred his son a fellow-commoner in Queen's College, Cambridge, and would not suffer him to accept a fellowship though offered, as conceiving it a bending of these places from the direct intent of the founders, when they are bestowed on such as have plenty though, indeed, such preferments are appointed as well for the reward of those that are worthy, as for the relief of those that want; and, after his father's death, he was chosen into that society. In his youthful exercises, he gave such an earnest of his future maturity, that Dr. Whitaker, hearing him dispute, said, that He would in time prove the honour of the University: a prediction that proved not untrue, when afterward" [A. D. 1609, on the decease of Dr. Playfere,] "he was chosen Margaret Professor of Divinity, being as yet but a private fellow of the college. Whereof some years after he was made Master," [A. D. 1614, in the place of Dr. Humphrey Tyndale, Dean of Ely,]" and at last Bishop of Salisbury.+

He sate Bishop about twenty years, and died of a consumption, anno 1641," [on April 20, being the Tuesday before Easter-Day,] "to which sensibleness of the sorrowful times, (which he saw were bad, and foresaw would be worse) did contribute not a little. I cannot omit, how some few hours before his death, having lain for a long time (though not speechless, yet) not speaking, nor able to speak, (as we beholders thought, though indeed he hid that little strength we thought he had lost, and reserved himself for purpose,) he fell into a most emphatical prayer for half a quarter of an hour. Amongst many heavenly passages therein, he thanked God for this his fatherly correction, because in all his lifetime he never had one heavy affliction, which made him often much suspect with himself, whether he was a true child of God or no, until this his last sickness. Then he sweetly fell asleep in Christ, and so we softly drew the curtains about him." * Dr. Nicholas, at that time a prebendary of Sarum, and afterward Dean of St. Paul's, preached an excellent sermon at his interment.+

Dr. Brian Duppa, still had in memory for his Book of Devotions, was translated from Chichester to Sarum, and Dr. Henry King, the pious son of a pious father, Dr. John King, Bishop of London, was raised from the Deanery of Rochester to the see of Chichester. Dr. Thomas Turner, already mentioned as preacher at the Convocation of 1640, was made Dean of Rochester.

*Church Hist. B. xi. § 53, p. 176.

t Worthies, vol. ii. p. 87. Ed. Nichols.

CHAPTER VII.

Fuller at the Savoy.

ULLER now settled at the Savoy, had for his parishioners the family of James, Earl of Northampton.* Of him he makes mention in his British Worthies, in terms of gratitude that imply his especial obligations to that noble person: "James, Earl of Northampton, for the happiness of whom and his, when I cannot orally pray, I will make signs of my affection to heaven." The loyalists flocked to the Savoy, and Fuller, with all his moderation, was felt to be an hindrance to the violence of the Parliamentarians, and doubtless the more so, because, for his moderation, all good men, despite of their prejudices, could not but respect him.

Here, Fuller had amongst his friends, that most munificent patron of learning, Thomas, afterwards.

He signalized himself in the King's service, by routing the Parliament forces near Banbury, May 6, 1643. He died at Castle Ashby, in Northamptonshire, Dec. 1681. + Worthies, Worcestershire, p. 179.

Sir Thomas Adams, founder of the Arabic Professorship in the University of Cambridge. This truly loyal individual furnished the King with ten thousand pounds, and for his adherence to him suffered imprisonment in the Tower.* Our author's friend, Robert Abdy, of a family formerly settled at Abdy House, (in Yorkshire) was also made a baronet in 1660.† In his Pisgah Sight, as also before the third century of his Church History, he very gratefully memorializes his friend, Simeon Bonnell, of Felix Hall, Essex. In his Church History, he returns his thanks also to Theophilus Biddulph, of Staffordshire and London, the first baronet of that name. Of his friends, William and Robert Christmas, brothers, merchants, William, in 1653, married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Adams. Dr. Nicholas Hardy, (at the Restoration Dean of Rochester,) preached the marriage sermon.§

He was a native of Wem, in Shropshire, where he founded a free school; Lord Mayor of London in 1646, and created a baronet in 1660. He was in his old age deputed by the city of London, to accompany General Monk to Breda, and to attend the exiled monarch to his restored realm. Sir Thomas Adams was a Fellow of King's College. Carter's Hist. of the Univ. p. 456.

+ He married Catharine, daughter of Sir John Guyer, knt. He died in 1670. His son, Sir John, resided at Stapleford Abbotts, (Essex,) below Epping.

Dedication of the 4th century. He married Susanna, daughter of Zachary Highworth, Alderman of London, and was in 1664, created a baronet.

§ In Poplar chapel are buried William Christmas, aged 77 years, 1702, shipwright, and Mary, his wife, 1701.