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Both these treatises were printed by Gutch in his Collectanea Curiosa, from copies taken by Archbishop Sancroft, of the original MSS. preserved in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth, in the handwriting of Archbishop Usshere.

I have already stated that the Primate never printed any sermons but two, and expressed a wish that none should be published as his. A few were printed during his life, and in the year 1660 a volume appeared with the title : "Eighteen Sermons, preached in Oxford, 1640, of Conversion unto God, of Redemption, and Justification, by the Rev. James Ussher, late Bishop of Armagh, in Ireland; published by Jos. Crabb, Will. Wall, Thos. Lye, Ministers of the Gospel, who wrote them from his mouth, and compared their copies together; with a preface concerning the life of the pious author, by the Rev. Stanly Gower, sometime Chaplain of the said Bishop, now minister in Dorchester. "He being dead yet speaketh. Heb. ii. 4."

These sermons I have reprinted in the thirteenth volume of the Archbishop's works, not without considerable doubts as to the propriety of disobeying the Archbishop's wishes. There are in existence several volumes of manuscripts purporting to be sermons of the Archbishop. The only one of which there appears distinct evidence that it was taken from notes of his sermons, is preserved in the Library of Balliol College, Oxford, and a copy was given me by the kindness of the Master, the Rev. Dr. Jenkyns. This volume was given to the Library of Balliol College, by William Crooke, a bookseller in London, about the year 1693. In the marginal references are several allusions to the Archbishop's works: "See my answer to the Jesuit's Challenge;" "See my Treatise de Christianarum Ecclesiarum successione et statu, c. vii. ss. 21, 22, and the Answer to the Jesuit, p. 514, 515." The following note must also refer to the Archbishop: "Jo. Tissington, in Confessione cont. Jo. Wicliff, quam MS. habeo." From these references it would appear that the sermons in this collection were copied from

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They are printed now in the eleventh volume of the Archbishop's Works.

the Archbishop's notes; and that he made very full notes of his sermons is evident from the circumstance related before, of his having preached the same sermon several times, because he thought the subject so important, "a soul-saving sermon ;" yet the sermons themselves are not as well put together as those before published. In order to gratify the curiosity which exists about the preaching of one so distinguished in his day, I have completed the volume with sermons from this collection; I am convinced, however, that the Archbishop was very prudent in forbidding the publication of the notes taken of his sermons, and that an unfavorable opinion will be formed of his powers as a preacher, unless great allowance be made for the imperfect manner in which they have descended to us.

It remains now to give some account of the MSS.1 which

The notes of three sermons are preserved in the Archbishop's handwriting, and are published in the fourteenth volume of his works. From which it will appear what was his usual mode of preparation.

* See page 293.

The following letter of Dr. Parr to Archbishop Sancroft, respecting the MSS., is preserved amongst Archbishop Sancroft's papers, in the Tanner Collection in the Bodleian Library:

"May it please your Grace,

"I presume (upon your Lordship's intimation when I waited on your Grace) to present to your view som MSS. of that eminent Primat Usher's, being his various collections and observations. Your Lordship perhaps may think me easy when I so readyly comply in a matter of this nature, and indeed I should blame myselfe, but that methinks, your Lordship's temper is much like to that greate mans, whose memory to me must be ever precious, with whom I had more than ordinary freedom and intimate conversation for many yeares, haveing had the happiness (time was) to be his chaplaine, and a great sharer in his affections. My Lord, I would not expose these things (which cost him so much time and labour) to every body's view and censure, scarcly to any besids yourselfe, but not doubting your Lordship's candour, I hope you will preserve those papers safe in your owne custody, untill your Lordship has given yourselfe som diversion (at your spare houres) in peruseing them, and afterward be pleased to return them, and what else I have (by me) of that kind, your Lordship may command the sight of them.

"I herewith send your Grace 2 fol., 3 4tos., and 4 8vos. You will easily discern what is written propria manu. There is in the beginning of one of the 4tos, a treatis of Theologie of Ambros Ussher, brother to the Primate, a very learned young man who died too early. There

were left by the Archbishop. There must have been great destruction of the papers left by the Archbishop, as very little

is one of the fol. which hath in it, The Archion of Englands high Courts of Justice, and a catalogue of the MSS. in Bibliotheca Thuani, and also the Index of the Greek MSS. in the Vatican. I have no more for this time to say, but to beg your Lordship's pardon for this freedom I take, and that you would interpret it to be the result from one that valueth goodness in greatness, as the most valuable excellency, and that which challengeth the reverence and respects, as in your Grace it dos, from "Your Lordship's humble Servant,

"Cammerwell, Jan. 5th, 1684."

"RI. PARR.

With this letter is preserved the original form of dedication to Archbishop Sancroft, as proposed by Dr. Parr. There does not appear any letter from the Archbishop, assigning his reasons for suppressing it; but there are two other letters from Dr. Parr, intreating his Grace's interference to expedite the license for publishing the life. Some account has been given before, pag. 262, of the difficulties which impeded the publication.

THE DEDICATION.

To the most Reverend Father, Dr. William Sancroft, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England and Metropolitan. "May it please yo' Grace,

"I presume to address yo' Lordship wth these memorialls of the life, actions, and death of the most Reverend Prelate, Dr. James Ussher, sometime Archbishop of Armagh, and Primate of all Ireland. And the rather for that he was of yo' Ldship's order and degree in the Church, and not only so, but worthy to be ranked with the most eminent of Primitive Bpps in the Christian Church, since the Apls for learning and piety, so that it can in no way derogate from yr Ldship's honno' to put a value on him, and to allow him a great hight in yo' Graces estimation, yo'self being acquainted with him, and his virtues in his life-time.

“Besids I had not undertaken this publication of these memorialls in this age, had not yor Lordship (when you allowed me the freedom of access) intimated unto me yo' wish that there might be a more larg and perfect account given of Archbps Ushers life and character than hitherto has bin don, wch gave me som encouragm to remind and review my owne observations of him for several yeares of my close attendance on him being entirely acquainted with himselfe and all his concernm's; and perceiveing that yor Laship would often speake most worthyly of him, and delighted to heare good things said of Primate Vsher, I could not but think that yor Laship very well understood the most valuable worth of the greatest men, and judged that reall piety, accompanied with most choyce learning, and unfained humility, was cheifly remarkable in the best qualified men, and most highly dignified in the Church, wch made me think that yo' Grace was much of his temper, and ever since I have observed so much of him in yo' L ship's disposition and carriage, I cannot choose but pay yo' Lordship all the high respects due unto you upon that

that can be considered valuable now remains. Dr. Parr directly charges Dr. Bernard with having borrowed several

account, as well as to that reverend dignity of y' place and office, in the highest station in the Church.

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'My Ld I would not be thought a flatterer either of the dead or liveing in expectation of any secular advantage thereby, for I court it not, only I beg yor L ship's pardon if anything I have sayd of, or to yor Grace looks like a fawning, for I well know that 'tis but a meane art of begging the favor of great men, web no good man can like. But my L there is somewhat more that claims yo' favorable permission of this dedication; for that yor L'ship knows how much you have contributed toward the retreeving of those learned letters written by my Ld Primate, and to him on severall subjects and occasions (herewth published) wch originalls had bin lost had it not bin that yor Ldship was so inquisitive after y", and at last obtained a considerable number of the originals, wthout wch these we have in possession would have bin much maimed, so that yo' L'ship has a double claim to the performance. And I was very glad to find such an one as yo'selfe, in this declining age, that disdaynes not to countenance and encourage the true religion in principle and practice owned and maintained in the Church of England, of wch our Primate Usher was ever an invincible assertor and maintainer to his last breath, in opposition to Popery and all other sectarian deuices and inventions, and upon this account also I knew not where so well to lodg this narratiue (such as it is) then in yor L'ship's hands.

“And moreover I was the more inducd to this performance of reviveing the memory of the learned and holy Primate, because som enuious and spitfull men have labo'ed to aspers and dash the reputation of that unspotted Primate, not understanding ther intrinsick worth, nor right measures of reall piety, loyalty and sounder judgm' in matters of Religion, Policie, and ancient gouerm' by Bpps in the Church, yet notwithstanding all calumnies he bore up his unblemished reputation, and stood firm against all indignities and injuries, as a rock against the waves; and lett it not be wondered at that som men (none of the best) snarle at eminent men, as little dogs do at strangers, and I make no question but yor L'ship has argument enough to silence such bould men, that at all peradventure and at random, speake euill of dignities. But my Ld there is yet another end why I publish these memorialls, wch is partly to remove the mistakes in som circumstances where those persons who have written the life of this excellent Prelate, one after another have fallen under in many instances.

"My L I have made this adventure to yo' Grace as to one not byassed by any secular interest to misjudg of persons, and things at the rule of other mens humor or reports but to judg righteously as matters are, in truth; comparing things wth things as most congruous to reall piety and right wisdom, and so far I may p'sume of yo1 L'ship's acceptation of what I have herein offered concerning the excellent Primate Usher; of whom we speake and declare.

"But, my La. I do not, I dare not, lay claime to yor Laship's patron

volumes and never returned them. Both in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, and in the Library of Trinity College,

age of my faileings in the stile or manner of writeing, for herein I can make no apologie other than that of mine owne insufficiency to perform exactly so great an undertaking, never the less I haue on this subject sayd nothing but the truth concerning the integrity, wisdom, loyalty, and sanctity of that incomparable Prelate, in all his capacities and occurrences dureing the last 13 yeares of his life, and so far I crave yor Ldship's allowance, and for the rest to ouerlooke and pass by the unwilling and inuincible erratas; and prouided my Ld will entertaine a due value for that admirable Primate, I am content to bare the blame of coming short in my expressions, seeing he has deserued infinitely more than I could express in words, and if I have not don it as I ought, it is not because I would not, but 1 could not.

"Please yor Grace therefore to accept what I offer on this subject wth my due respects and reuerence to your eminency in the Church, and for what I owe to yo' personall candor, goodness, and piety, wch altogether meeting in yor Lordship hath hugely oblidged me to loue and honnor you, who am,

"Your Ldship's very humble Servant,

"Cammerwell, April 24th, 1684. "Most Reuerd Father,

"R. P.

"I haue sent unto yo' Grace the Life and Letters of the L Primate Usher. I hope yo' Grace will peruse them, and after that I make no question, yo' Lordship will think that they are designed for the seruice of the King, the Church, and Learning; tis very much wondered at by many R Revd Bishops, and other learned and worthy persons that the book should meet with any obstruction as to the publication; being so long expected and so much desired; but when we consider in whose hands it hath unfortunately fallen or wonder must cease; my Ld the whole life and a greate part of the letters was printed off before the Act passed; but Dr. Midgly and Sir Rog. hath had the book for their licencing more than 12 weeks, and giue no absolute denyall, yet now at last Sir Rog. L'Estrang tells us that 'tis in the Chief Secretarys possession, and there it must lye for ought I know much longer: my good Lord will yo' Grace be pleased to concern yor selfe a little to rescue that silent and innocent prisoner, that it may com forth. And I am very confident yo' Lordship who has so great a value for the memory of that excellent Primate will be very well pleased when you haue effected this worthy undertaking, and you will ever oblidg,

"Cam. Feb. 22, 168.

"Yor faithful and obedient humble Seruant,

"I left the Preface with yor Grace in the morning.

"Most Revd. Father in God,

"RI. PARR.

I am much oblidged to yo' Grace that you vouchsafed to peruse the life of that excellent Primate as now it is written by me, and

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