we have the following account by his nephew:-" With what gravity and moderation he behaved himself; how humble, hospitable, painful in preaching and writing, may better be reported hereafter, when his memory (green as yet) shall be mellowed by time. He sate Bishop about twenty years, and died of a consumption [Allport says it was an asthma, with which he had been long afflicted '], anno 1641, 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 hours before his death, having lyen 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 heavie affliction, which made him often much suspect with himself whether he were a true child of God or no, until this his last sickness.' Then he sweetly fell asleep in Christ; and so we softly draw the curtains about him." Fuller says elsewhere: "We read of the Patriarch Israel, that the time drew nigh, that he must die,' Gen. xlvii. 29; must, a necessity of it. Such a decree attended this Bishop, happy to die, before his order (for a time) died, April, 1641; and with a solemn funeral he was buried in [the south aisle of the choir of] his own cathedral; Dr. Nicholas (now [1661] Dean of St. Paul's) preaching an excellent sermon at his interment." At this time Nicholas was a Prebendary of Salisbury. A sketch of the elegant marble monument erected to Davenant's memory is here given. "As a living example of venerated antiquity," says the inscription, "he discharged all the duties of a primitive bishop; and thus during his twenty years' oversight of this diocese he was honoured by all good men, and even by his enemies." The monument is set up against the wall, being flanked and supported by two Corinthian pillars, and surmounted with the Bishop's arms. The family coat, which has been variously stated, was: Gules, three escallops arg. between eight cross-crosslets fitchee or, a crescent for difference. Upon the south wall of the eastern transept of the Cathedral is a monument to the memory of Davenant's elder brother Edward, of Whiddy Island, co. Cork, who died. June 2nd, 1639. He left by his will legacies to the Fullers, &c. ' Church-History, xi. 176. 2 Worthies, London, p. 207. Cole's MSS. Brit. Mus. Add. 5,808. The most marked feature in the Bishop's character was his piety. Regem venerebatur, says an elaborate epitaph quoted by Lloyd, sed et timebat Deum.1 On one occasion, when commanded to preach at Court, he came a day too late because he would not ride on Sunday. Williams, when entering upon the See of Lincoln, is said to have taken Davenant as his model of episcopal government. By all parties, indeed, the Bishop was spoken of with respect, his contemporaries giving him the title of "The Good Bishop.' In Fuller's delineation of that character in his Holy State, now about to be published, references seem to be made to his uncle throughout." As Diogenes," says he, "confuted him who denied there was any motion, by saying nothing, but walking before his eyes; so our Bishop takes no notice of the false accusations of people disaffected against his order, but 'walks' on circumspectly' in his calling, really refelling their cavils in his conversation [moral deportment]. A bishop's bare presence at a marriage in his own diocese is by the law interpreted for a license; and what actions soever he graceth with his company, he is conceived to privilege them to be lawful, which makes him to be more wary in his behaviour. . . . He is loved and feared of all, and his presence frights the swearer either out of his oaths or into silence; and he stains all other men's lives with the clearness of his own." In the Worthies there is an anecdote of Davenant illustrating the foregoing remark: "Once invited by Bishop Field, and not well pleased with some roisting company there, he embraced the next opportunity of departure after dinner. And when Bishop Field proffered to light him with a candle down stairs, My lord, my lord,' said he, let us lighten others by our unblameable conversation ;' for which speech some since have severely censured him, how justly I interpose not. But let others unrelated unto him 1 Lloyd, Memoires, 283. The following is a translation of this epitaph, which is recorded very incorrectly. It may perhaps have been one of the epitaphs placed, as was usual, upon the coffin when İying in state: "Here lieth the Epitome of all solid learning. His judgment assisted by his profound acquaintance with the entire range of Hebrew, Heathen, and Christian lore, converted all tongues, arts, histories, every maxim of the Fathers, every disputation of the Schoolmen, every decree of the Councils, into sober, peaceful, and practical Divinity. He wayed the Schools in so far as they are 2 ruled by assemblies, and he gave laws to write his character, whose pen cannot be suspected of flattery, which he when living did hate, and dead did not need."1 The sixth maxim of Fuller's character of The Good Bishop, viz. that he is careful and happy in suppressing of heresies and schisms, illustrates the mild sway of Davenant in his diocese. Again: "He meddleth as little as may be with temporal matters, having little skill in them, and less will to them. Not that he is unworthy to manage them, but they unworthy to be managed by him. Yea, generally, the most dexterous in spiritual matters are left-handed in temporal business, and go but untowardly about them. . . . . Heaven is his vocation, and therefore he counts earthly employments avocations." In the same sketch the essayist commends "worthy Bishop Lake," "whose hand had the true seasoning of a sermon with Law and Gospel," and "reverend Andrewes," who was out of his element in civil affairs; and he thus directly alludes to his uncle: "In his grave writings he [the good bishop] aims at God's glory and the church's peace, with that worthy prelate, the second Jewel of Salisbury, whose comments and controversies will transmit his memory to all posterity Whose dying pen did write of Christian Union, How Church with Church might safely keep Communion. Who finding discords daily to encrease, Because he could not live, would dy, in peace. "He [that is, the good bishop] ever makes honourable mention of forein Protestant churches, even when he differs and dissents from them. . . . English charity to forein Protestant churches in some respects is payment of a debt: their children deserve to be our welcome guests whose grandfathers were our loving hosts in the days of Queen Mary."3 The work which Fuller is referring to as being written near Davenant's death is an English translation of his Ad fraternam Communionem inter Evangelicas Ecclesias restaurandum Adhortatio, Cantab., 1640. This earnest little work, which was published in London for Richard Badger and John Williams, 12mo. 1641, and entered by them at Stationers' Hall a fortnight before the death of the Bishop, is also referred to by Bishop London, p. 207. 2 Pages 267, 268. Page 270. 4 Entered 7th April, 1641, being licensed by Dr. Thos. Wykes, 8th April, 1641. It has two parts, one of which was a letter addressed by Davenant to John Duræus, who advocated the union of the Lutheran and the Calvinistic Churches, Р |