the residence of his old friend and tutor Dr. Buckner. Here he arrived in disguise at an early hour on the 25th of July, and found that he was not the first who, having been driven from his home, had sought refuge in that abode, for another friend and fellow-pupil, Dr. Oliver, had arrived there for the same purpose a few days before.

Although the Christian is taught to consider temporal affliction as light and momentary, he feels what the most sacred authority fully admits, that at the time it is not joyous but grievous. Dr. Hammond was much depressed by his present troubles, and stood in need of a more than ordinary share of grace and support. He often afterwards remarked that, amidst all the vicissitudes of his life, no season had been more distressing to him than that in which he was bereft of a flock endeared to him by mu.. tual kindness and the ties of religion, and thrown into the company of his sorrowful friend, a partaker of the same sufferings.

Three weeks passed mournfully away in this retirement, when an alarm was brought that a reward of one hundred pounds had been offered for the arrest of Dr. Hammond. Upon this he agreed with Dr. Oliver to depart immediately; and as the latter had friends at Winchester, which city was then the king's quarters, they determined to remove thither, and sent a servant to prepare for their reception. Meanwhile news came from Oxford to Dr. Oliver, that he had been chosen President of Magdalen college in the room of Dr. Frewen, who was made bishop of Lichfield. These events changed the plans of Dr. Oliver, and he resolved at once to make the best of his way to Oxford, and proposed to his friend to accompany him. This Dr. Hammond at first declined, being fearful that he might be apprehended in so public

a place, and unwilling to settle so far from his living, to which he hoped to return when the storm was allayed. But on receiving some letters which damped these hopes, he complied with Dr. Oliver's wishes, and passing through Hampshire, after a difficult and anxious journey arrived in Oxford, "where, procuring an apartment," says Dr. Fell, "in his own college, he sought that peace in his retirement and study which was nowhere else to be met withal: taking no other diversion than what the giving instruction and encouragement to ingenious young students yielded him (a thing wherein he peculiarly delighted); and the satisfaction which he received from the conversation of learned men ; who, besides the usual store, in great number at that time for their security resorted thither."

Some of his hours were now employed in preparing for the press his Practical Catechism. This work he had originally written to assist him in his parochial duties at Penshurst, and he was only induced to publish it by the persuasion of Dr. Potter, the provost of Queen's college. Even then he withheld his name, and committed all the care of conducting the work through the press to his friend; who took that opportunity of acknowledging in the preface, that he had received much benefit in its perusal, adding "I humbly beseech God that it may have the like energy in the breasts of all that shall read it, that we may have less talking, less writing, less fighting for religion, and more practice."

Dr. Hammond was naturally of a diffident disposition, and long after his influence as an author was established he expressed surprise at the success of his writings, when compared with those of others whom he accounted his superiors.

The Practical Catechism soon passed through several

editions, all after the first bearing his name; and, whether we judge from the character of its contents, or from the frivolous nature of the objections of Cheynell, we have sufficient to account for its extensive popularity.* Emboldened by the reception of this work, he soon after published several short papers and tracts on subjects respecting which he saw that the minds of the people had been led astray. As he now thought that he should be heard with attention, he was unwilling to suffer those errors to exist without an attempt to remove them; he therefore applied himself to dispel the delusions and fallacies by which men were then led to oppose the established church. He warned those who professed to be governed by conscience, to beware of mistaking their fancies and prepossessions for its dictates; he proved that everything we dislike is not necessarily a scandal; and defended the observances of the church from the charges of will-worship and superstition. He also wrote several treatises, full of learning and just reasoning, concerning episcopal discipline and government.

The studies of his early life had made admirable provision against this time of need; he brought forth from his stores things new and old; a singular rapidity of composition enabled him to draw out those treasures at the shortest notice; † and he wrote with a mildness which is accounted for by Dr. Fell's remark, that "his closet was his library, and that he studied most upon his knees.”

In 1644 the court was at Oxford. The king had known Dr. Hammond at Penshurst, and accounted him

*Bishop Burnet, in his Pastoral Care, pronounces it "a rare book" for students of divinity, and one which "states the grounds of morality and of our duty upon true principles."

+ Some of his publications, evincing much reflection and reading, on important subjects, and of considerable length, were written in a single night.

"the most natural orator he had ever heard." On one occasion Charles had noticed to him some defect in his delivery in so kind a manner that Dr. Hammond always remembered that circumstance with gratitude; and the Practical Catechism was one of the books which King Charles recommended to his children in his last instructions. Hence it is not wonderful that towards the close of that year he was chosen to accompany the duke of Richmond and the earl of Southampton, when they were sent to London to propose a treaty for the settlement of the "unhappy differences in church and state;" and that he was one of the divines appointed by the king to assist his commissioners, in matters appertaining to religion, at the treaty of Uxbridge, which was the result of this mission, and met on the 30th of the following January.

Religion, the militia, and Ireland, were the three topics of discussion to which the commissioners were limited; and they were to devote three days to each, after which they were to return to the subjects in the same order for as many days more.

In the first debate upon religion, Mr. Henderson appeared on the side of episcopacy, and Dr. Stewart on the part of presbytery; and each advanced a claim to divine. right.

At the second meeting some of the other divines took part in the discussion, and Dr. Hammond had Mr. Vines for his antagonist. The latter opened the proceedings by reading a long paper, "wherein," says Dr. Fell, 66 were interwoven several little cavils and exceptions which were meant for arguments." On this deviation from the usual mode of debate, Dr. Hammond drew forth his pen, and took notes of those remarks which he thought worthy of an answer; and immediately after, handled the subject in so masterly a way, that, according to the same autho

rity, he "dispelled with ease and perfect clearness all the sophisms that had been brought against him." And after the treaty, Dr. Hammond, as we learn from his letter to a friend, went to his opponents, and in his own and his brethren's name offered further satisfaction upon any part of the argument, proposed a publication of the conference by mutual consent, and when both of these were declined, next suggested that nothing should be published by either party without the consent or knowledge of the other, which was accordingly promised.

It is probable that neither the king nor the parliament expected peace to be the issue of this conference; the demands on both sides were too high; and after twenty days they separated, having effected nothing.

While Dr. Hammond was engaged in this business the king appointed him to a vacant canonry of Christ Church, and the university elected him to fill the office of Public Orator. His heart was still with the people of Penshurst, but his friends represented to him how improbable it was that he should be restored to his living, and he accepted the distinction thus conferred upon him. He was shortly after made chaplain in ordinary to the king.

Oxford was soon to become the scene of strife and confusion. Throughout the year 1645 the royal cause had continually declined, and at length the king, fearful of being enclosed in Oxford by the parliamentary forces, determined to withdraw himself privately from that city. Accordingly, on the 27th of April 1646, he set out with only two attendants, and, arriving at Newark about nine days after, threw himself into the hands of the Scottish army.

About three months after, namely on midsummer day, Oxford surrendered on certain conditions. The constancy of the university to the royal interests had already reduced her to great extremities. The plate and money