only allay that seemed left, and without which, he would have been held, perhaps, in more veneration than was fitting. This was necessary to be told, since history is to be writ impartially."

When any of the clergy had been led away by visionary fancies, he would treat them in a temperate and respectful manner, which engaged attention and secured esteem. A year after his appointment to the bishopric of Meath, he received a complaint that one of his clergy held some peculiar notions relative to the restoration of the Jews, and he gave the following account of his manner of proceeding in this case, in a letter which he wrote.

"I sent for the party, and, upon conference had with him, I put him in mind that his conceits were contrary to the judgment of the church of Christ from the beginning of the Gospel unto this day, and that of old they were condemned for heretical in the Nazarites. But, finding that for the present he was not to be wrought upon by any reasoning, and that time was the only means to cure him of this sickness, I remembered what course I had heretofore held with another in this country who was so far engaged in this opinion of the calling of the Jews, (though not of the revoking of Judaism,) that he was strongly persuaded he himself should be the man that should effect this great work, and to this purpose wrote an Hebrew Epistle, (which I have still in my hands,) directed to the dispersed Jews. To reason the matter with him I found bootless; I advised him therefore that, until the Jews did gather themselves together, and make choice of him for their captain, he should labour to benefit his countrymen at home, with that skill he had attained unto in the Hebrew tongue. I wished him therefore to give us an exact translation of the Old Testa

ment out of the Hebrew verity, which he accordingly undertook and performed. The translation I have by me, but before he had finished that task, his conceit of the calling of the Jews and his captainship over them vanished clean away, and was never heard of after.

"In like manner I dealt with Mr.Whitehall; that, forasmuch as he himself acknowledged that the Mosaical rites were not to be practised until the general calling of the Jews, he might do well, I said, to let that matter rest till then and in the mean time keep his opinion to himself, and not bring needless trouble upon himself and others by divulging it out of season.

And, whereas he

had intended to write an historical discourse of the retaining of Judaism under Christianity, I counselled him rather to spend his pains in setting down the history of purgatory, or invocation of saints, or some of the other points in controversy betwixt the church of Rome and us." This advice so far prevailed with Mr. Whitehall, that he "offered to bind himself to forbear intermeddling any way with his former opinions, either in public or in private, and to spend his time in any other employment that should be imposed upon him."

The subjection of the Irish papists to foreign jurisdiction, their refusal to acknowlege the king's supremacy, and the turbulent conduct of the priests, exposed them to the constant jealousy of their rulers; and the protestant church manifested a strong aversion to any concessions which might strengthen a cause already too well supported. The infusion of English and Scottish puritanism amongst the clergy increased their reluctance to countenance any fresh indulgences; and sufficient occasion for such opposition seemed to be furnished by the boldness manifested by the Romish communion, whenever the state was induced by motives of policy to grant

them favours, or to let the reins of government hang loosely. The popish priests and their adherents looked upon this uncertainty in the course pursued towards them as a sufficient evidence of the importance of their party; and not being content with the liberty which they enjoyed during the reigns of James and Charles of exercising their religion almost as publicly as the protestants, they manifested their hostility to the principles of the Reformation in the most open and offensive manner, and aimed at their extermination.

On some public occasions, Dr. Usher openly expressed the feelings of the clergy respecting the conduct which the papists were suffered to pursue. At the recall of sir Oliver St. John, (soon afterwards created lord Grandison,) from the government of Ireland, in 1621, the Romanists expected from his successor some indulgences which he had not thought proper to grant; and, elevated with these hopes, they proceeded to erect monasteries, to seize the churches for their own worship, and to thrust out the authorized ministers of religion. Bishop Usher, as the most distinguished of the reformed clergy, and the man whose sentiments were of the greatest weight, was appointed to preach before lord Falkland, the new lord deputy, on his arrival; and took the opportunity of recommending such restraints as might keep the Romanists within the bounds of a decent reserve, and protect the protestants from public affronts and forcible ejection. from their churches. But at the same time he "made public protestation," to use the language of one of his own letters," that it was far from his mind to excite the magistrate unto any violent courses against them, as one that naturally did abhor all cruel dealings, and wished that effusion of blood might be held rather the badge of popery than of the church of God."

This sermon, however, served to irritate the papists; and they took occasion from the words of his text, He beareth not the sword in vain, to persuade their followers that he then declared that the sword had rusted too long in its sheath. This calumny he indignantly repelled; but, as a great clamour had been industriously excited, he followed the advice of archbishop Hampton, and preached an explanatory discourse, in which he declared the lenity of his intentions, so as to " 'give peace to the congregation, and glory to God."

Soon afterwards, he was appointed to enforce the nature and lawfulness of the oaths of supremacy and allegiance, before some magistrates who had been cited to the castlechamber for refusing to take them. He treated the subject with a powerful eloquence, and, although the party were strong in their prepossessions, and moreover exulted in their numbers, power, and consequence, his arguments were attended with some success.

In 1624 literary pursuits induced the bishop to make a voyage to England; during his stay, the archbishopric of Armagh became vacant by the death of Dr. Hampton, and Dr. Usher was immediately fixed upon to occupy that distinguished station in the church. Some time after his return, King James died, and the accession of a prince involved in foreign wars and embarrassed by domestic factions raised an unusual ferment among the discontented in Ireland. The time seemed favourable for the popish party to extort some concessions; and since a considerable increase of the forces in Ireland was deemed requisite to be made, they gave lord Falkland assurances that, if some indulgences were granted to those of their religion, a voluntary contribution might be obtained for the maintenance of five thousand foot and five hundred horse.

The protestants heard with dismay that lord Falkland had not discouraged these overtures, and the new archbishop of Armagh assembled several of the Irish prelates, to determine what course they ought to pursue in this time of danger and offence, and to bear their conscientious testimony against the concession to popery meditated by the state. The result of this meeting was a protest, signed by twelve prelates, and entitled, "The judgment of divers of the archbishops and bishops of Ireland concerning toleration of religion."

This document sets forth, that to accede to the proposals of the papists is to promote the errors and superstitions of the Romish religion, to dishonour God, and mislead the ignorant; and that to grant such favours for money is equivalent to setting religion to sale, and with it the souls of the people. It was made public at the next general meeting of the principal nobility and gentry, which took place in the early part of the year 1627, and it had a powerful effect upon the protestants.

The project being thus likely to be defeated, lord Falkland requested the archbishop to use his best endeavours to persuade the assembly to make an unconditional grant for the supply of the king's necessities; which he accordingly did, although with but small success. He set a good example, however, by raising from his own lands a contribution towards the public service, for which he received a letter of thanks from the king's representative.

Having much to disappoint and disturb him from without, it was well for archbishop Usher that his habits were studious; and the learned world had also reason to be satisfied.

Before his removal from the see of Derry, he had published his answer to the challenge of Malone the jesuit; and, by desire of King James, had commenced

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