incursyons.  He sent for M’r Hales, whome when they had both lived in the University of Oxforde he had knowne well, and told him that he had in truth believed him to be longe since dead, and chidd him very kindly, for havinge never come to him, havinge bene of his old acquaintance, then asked him whether he had lately writt a shorte discource of Schisme, and whether he was of that opinion which that discource implyed; he told him, that he had for the satisfaction of a private frende (who was not of his minde) a yeere or two before, writt such a small tracte, without any imagination that it would be communicated, and that he believed it did not contayne any thinge that was not agreable to the judgement of the primitive fathers; upon which the Arch-Bishopp debated with him upon some exspressions of Irenaeus, and the most auntient fathers, and concluded with sayinge that the tyme was very apt to sett new doctrynes on foote, of which the witts of the Age were to susceptable, and that ther could not be to much care taken to praeserve the peace and unity of the Church, and from thence asked him of his condition, and whether he wanted any thinge, and the other answeringe that he had enough, and wanted nor desyred no addition:  and so dismissed him with greate courtesy, and shortly after sent for him agayne, when ther was a Praebendary of Windsor fallen, and told him the Kinge had given him that praeferment because it lay so convenient to his fellowshipp of Eton, which (though indeede the most convenient praeferment that could be thought of for him) the Arch-Bishopp could not without greate difficulty perswade him to accept, and he did accepte it rather to please him, then himselfe, because he really believed he had enough before.  He was one of the least men in the kingdome, and one of the greatest schollers in Europe.

[Footnote 1:  ‘the greatest part of’ in place of ‘all’ in another hand in MS.]

52.

WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH.

Author of ‘The Religion of Protestants,’ 1638.

Born 1602.  Died 1644.

By CLARENDON.

M’r Chillingworth, was of a stature little superiour to M’r Hales (and it was an Age in which ther were many greate and wounderfull men of that size) and a man of so grea[te] a subtlety of understandinge, and so rare a temper in debate, that as it was impossible to provoke him into any passyon, so it was very difficulte to keepe a mans selfe from beinge a little discomposed by his sharpnesse and quicknesse of argument and instances, in which he had a rare facility, and a greate advantage over all the men I ever knew.  He had spent all his younger tyme in disputation, and had arryved to so greate a mastery, as he was inferior to no man in those skirmishes:  but he had with his notable perfection in this exercise, contracted such an irresolution and habit of doubtinge, that by degrees he grew confident of nothinge, and a schepticke at least in the greatest misteryes of fayth; This made him from first waveringe