down of seats,-what wresting out of irons and brass from the windows and graves,-what defacing of arms,-what demolishing of curious stone-work, that had not any representation in the world, but only of the cost of the founder and skill of the mason,-what tooting and piping upon the destroyed organ-pipes! and what a hideous triumph on the market-day before all the country; when, in a kind of sacrilegious and profane procession, all the organ-pipes, vestments, with copes and surplices, together with the leaden cross which had been newly sawn down from above the green-yard pulpit, and the service-books and singing-books that could be had, were carried to the fire in the public market-place; a lewd wretch walking before the train, in his cope trailing in the dirt, with a service-book in his hand, imitating in an impious scorn the tune, and usurping the words of the litany used formerly in the church. Near the public cross all these monuments of idolatry must be sacrificed to the fire; not without much ostentation of a zealous joy, in discharging ordnance, to the cost of some who professed how much they had longed to see that day. Neither was it any news upon this guild-day, to have the cathedral, now open on all sides, to be filled with musketeers waiting for the major's return, drinking and tobacconing us freely, as if it had turned ale-house.

"Still yet I remained in my palace, though with

but a poor retinue and means; but the house was held too good for me. Many messages were sent by Mr. Corbet to remove me thence." The first pretence was, that the committee, who now was at charge for a house to sit in, might make their daily session there; being a place both more public, roomy, and chargeless. The committee, after many consultations, resolved it convenient to remove thither, though many overtures and offers were made to the contrary. Mr. Corbet was impatient of my stay there; and procures and sends peremptory messages for my present dislodging. We desired to have some time allowed for providing some other mansion, if we must needs be thrust out of this; which my wife was so willing to hold, that she offered, if the charge of the present committeehouse were the thing stood upon, she would be content to defray the sum of the rent of that house of her fifth part; but that might not be yielded; out we must, and that in three weeks' warning, by Midsummer-day then approaching; so as we might have lain in the street, for aught I know, had not the providence of God so ordered it, that a neighbour in the Close, one Mr. Gostlin, a widower, was content to void his house for us.

"This hath been my measure."

This autobiographical sketch bears the date of May 29, 1647. Shortly afterwards, the deprived bishop secured a retreat from the storms that agitated

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his declining life, (he had now reached more than the average allotment of a good old age,) which, if less honourable than it became his country to afford such a man in the close of a long life of public usefulness, during which he had presented the world with many precious volumes, such as “it will not willingly let die;" yet afforded him the quiet which his years required, with leisure not only to practise that art of preparing for another state of existence, wherein," says he, "after long profession of other sciences, I am still (why should I shame to confess?) a learner, and shall be, I hope, whilst I live;" but also, by his example, and by the further exercise of his indefatigable pen, to teach the same to others. The place to which he retired was the village of Higham, near Norwich, where he rented a small estate. He died at Higham, September 8, 1656, at the advanced age of 82, and was buried in the church-yard of that place, conformably to an opinion held by him, in common with some other pious and excellent persons, as thus expressed in his will: 'I do not hold God's house a meet repository for the dead bodies of the greatest saints.”

Bishop Hall may be fearlessly named among the best and holiest persons that any age or country has produced. Ever earnest in exercising his charity to mankind by labouring for the spiritual

benefit of his own and future generations, his love to God in a zealous discharge of the duties of his high calling, and a fervent communion with the Spirit of light and truth; he, in his own person, realized that character which it was the design of his numerous works to form-A THOROUGH CHRISTIAN. That this harmony should exist between his life and the effusions of his pen is natural; for no one can become acquainted with the latter without perceiving that they contain the faithful results of his own ex. perience, and the genuine impress of his convictions. His habits inclined to be ascetic; yet this was not from sourness of disposition; but partly because such was with good men the fashion of the times in which he lived, and partly that such habits were congenial with his apostolic simplicity of mind, confirmed by much retired study. If he despised the world,-and, speaking of himself, he says, "It were too great a shame for a philosopher, a Christian, a divine, a bishop, to have his thoughts grovelling here upon earth; for mine, they scorn the employment, and look upon all these sublunary distractions with no other eyes than contempt," -this was neither the consequence of ignorance of society, nor of an unwilling seclusion from its pleasures; for we possess abundant proofs that he was a keen and various observer; while the amusements and pursuits of the court were open to him, and inviting his regard throughout the whole of that portion of his life, during which they are com

monly found to be most attractive. If, again, he was devoutly earnest in his preparation for a higher sphere of existence hereafter, it was not because his eye was insensible to the natural charms which earth presents to her intelligent inhabitants, or his heart incapable of human attachment-he was a poet,' a friend, a husband, and a father; but, because his earnest faith admitted him to clear views of the preciousness of that existence, and because the familiar experience he enjoyed of the daily-growing immortality within him endeared to his soul the anticipation of its full development. The reader will not fail to be pleased, if not improved, by the following account of Bishop Hall's daily habits, given by himself, as they appear to have existed through the greater part of his long life.

"First, I desire to awake at those hours, not when I will but when I must: pleasure is not a fit rule for rest, but health; neither do I consult so much with the sun, as mine own necessity, whether of body or, in that, of the mind. If this vessel could well serve me waking, it should never sleep; but now, it must be pleased that it may be serviceable.

"Now, when sleep is rather driven away than leaves me, I would ever awake with God. My first thoughts are for him who hath made the night for rest, and the day for travail; and, as he gives,

His claim to this title rests on his "Virgidemierum," a series of satires published in 1597, and on a metrical version of some of the Psalms.