in a very modified form. He also declared, that if he should be convinced, before the termination of those three years, that the function of bishops was not agreeable to the word of God, or that Christ commanded any other government, he would most cheerfully embrace it, but that, until he was so convinced, he felt himself bound to defend episcopacy.

The plan which archbishop Usher proposed in preference to this, with a view to do away the national confusion and schisms, was one which the presbyterians would probably have embraced gladly a little later, accounting its terms of reconciliation reasonable. He proposed to unite both kinds of church government, reducing to a great extent the power of bishops, but not including such sweeping concessions as those which the state of affairs had compelled the king to offer. The chief feature of the archbishop's plan was the proposition that the several bishops should take the advice of an assembly of their clergy in the regulation of their dioceses. Thus he showed himself on this, as on other occasions before and after, to be an advocate of a moderate episcopacy.

When it was too late, the party then in power saw reason to regret that they had not given a more willing hearing to some of these propositions; for, as Dr. Parr observes, "they would have all or nothing-and they had their desires."

This advice and a sermon preached before the king during that visit brought much reproach and obloquy upon the archbishop, and the "news-books and pamphlets" declared that he had very much prejudiced he treaty, and that none among all the king's chaplains had been so mischievous as he.

Having taken his last farewell of the unhappy monarch, and regretting that his journey had been attended with

so little success, he returned to Southampton on his way to London. Some of the principal inhabitants of that place received him with marked attention, and entreated him to preach on the next day, which would be Sunday. But when he thought of complying with their wishes, the governor of the garrison had an interview with him, and told him to give up his purpose, for that he could not be suffered to enter any pulpit in that town.

A few weeks after this, the eyes of the archbishop were once more to behold his persecuted king. It was on that day of execrable crime when the monarch, who had long been stripped of his power to do either harm or good, was murdered in cold blood, in the face of the sun, and by order of a national council.

"The lady Peterborough's house, where my lord then lived," says Dr. Parr, "being just over against Charingcross, divers of the countess's gentlemen and servants got upon the leads of the house, from whence they could see plainly what was acting before Whitehall. As soon as his Majesty came upon the scaffold, some of the household came and told my lord primate of it, and asked him if he would see the king once more before he was put to death. My lord was at first unwilling, but was at last persuaded to go up, as well out of his desire to see his majesty once again, as also curiosity, since he could scarce believe what they told him unless he saw it. When he came upon the leads the king was in his speech; the lord primate stood still, and said nothing, but sighed; and lifting up his hands and eyes (full of tears), towards heaven, seemed to pray earnestly; but when his majesty had done speaking, and had pulled off his cloak and doublet, and stood stripped in his waistcoat, and that the villains in vizors began to put up his hair, the good bishop, no longer able to endure so dismal a sight, and

being full of grief and horror for that most wicked fact now ready to be executed, grew pale, and began to faint; so that if he had not been observed by his own servant and some others that stood near him, who thereupon supported him, he had swooned away. So they presently carried him down, and laid him on his bed, where he used those powerful weapons which God has left his people in such afflictions, viz. prayers and tears; tears that so horrid a sin should be committed, and prayers that God would give his prince patience and constancy to undergo those cruel sufferings."

During the sad times which followed, archbishop Usher devoted himself more closely to his studies and to his duties at Lincoln's Inn, having as little communication as possible with the usurpers, and comforting and encouraging the suffering loyalists.

Thus did this pious and valuable man pass the remainder of his days, keeping himself as far as he could from "the madding crowd's ignoble strife." The account which we are enabled to give of that part of his life, though brief, is highly satisfactory as far as it extends.

As a preacher, he was still distinguished by that force and impressiveness for which he had been remarkable in the prime of life; he still addressed himself with the same powerful effect both to the understandings and the hearts of his congregation. The people were never weary of hearing him, for, besides the excellence of the instructions which he delivered, he had the faculty still to keep

up

the interest and attention of his hearers, and, as Dr. Parr expresses it, "to dismiss them withal with an appetite."

In proof of this, we may relate a circumstance which occurred after declining health and the weight of seventyfour years had compelled him to withdraw in a great measure from the public ministry of the word.

He happened to be in London, and was importuned by the countess of Peterborough and other kind friends to preach at St. Martin's Church. That was the parish in which he was then living, and the old church was not so large but that he might be heard in it. Accordingly, he complied with their wishes, and, after having preached at some length, chanced to look upon the hour-glass, the sands of which appeared to his defective sight to have run out. So, as he was always fearful of diminishing the usefulness of his sermons by making them so long as to weary the hearers, he concluded his discourse, and told the congregation that "since the time was passed, he would leave the rest he had to say on that subject to another opportunity, if God should please to grant it him, of speaking again to them in that place." But the congregation, finding out his mistake, and that there was some of the hour yet to come, and not knowing whether they might ever have the like happiness of hearing him again, made signs to the reader to let him know that the glass was not run out, and that they earnestly desired he would make an end of all he intended to have spoken; which the reader performing, the archbishop received it very kindly; and, resuming his discourse where he broke off, he concluded with an exhortation full of heavenly thoughts for almost half an hour.

During the latter part of his life, Evelyn heard him preach several times in London, and mentions him with great respect in his Diary. Thus in 1649, March 25th, we find the following remarks. "I heard the Common Prayer (a rare thing in these days) in St. Peter's at Paul's Wharf, London; and in yo morning the Archbishop of Armagh, that pious and learned man, Usher, in Lincoln's Inn Chapell." In April of the same year he writes, “On the 8th, againe heard an excellent discourse from Arch

bishop Usher, on Ephes. 4. v. 26, 27." And two months after, June 10. Preach'd the Archbishop of Armagh in Lincoln's Inn, from Romans 5. verse 13." So in 1652. "29 Mar. I heard yt excellent Prelate, the Primate of Ireland, (Jacob Usher,) preach in Lincoln's Inn on 4 Heb. 16, encouraging of penitent sinners."

As the infirmities of age increased upon him, nothing probably occasioned him more regret than his inability to continue to preach the word of salvation. But he had always exercised that part of his vocation with diligence, and therefore he had comfort in the remembrance of it; when he looked back upon the labours of his life, he found great pleasure in the reflection, that ever since he was called to the ministry, which was unusually early, he had endeavoured to discharge faithfully the great trust committed to him of preaching the Gospel, and to escape that woe which is pronounced against the neglect of it.

He was still full of charity and good works, and was particularly bountiful to those poor protestant ministers who were ruined, like himself, by the rebellion in Ireland, as well as their destitute widows and families, which they left behind them in a world of sorrow.

The English clergy were in a condition scarcely less wretched, and they also looked to him for help in their distress. The following letter, from his learned correspondent Casaubon, will show to what expedients they were often compelled to resort in order to procure subsistence:

"MAY IT PLEASE YOUR GRACE,

"I was with Mr. Selden, after I had been with your Grace; whom, upon some intimation of my present condition and necessities, I found so noble, as that he did not only presently furnish me with a very considerable