THE major part of the Fellows of Exeter College needeth no other Apology for their Proceedings, in relation both to Mr. Colmer and the Visitor, than a Plain Honest Narrative. But the Rector needs to be ju­stified, not only against the Visitor's Sentence, but likewise against the Calumnies of a Pamphlet, that representeth him to the World, as worthy to be Ex­pell'd, not only from the Government of his Col­lege, but from the Society of all Mankind, without the help of an Excommunication.

To take particular notice of every gross Falshood and malicious Insinuation, were to transcribe a great part of it. But two Cardinal Errors must not be past by, because upon them the whole Affair is pretended to have turned. 1. Mr. Colmer's Expulsion is not im­puted to his Guilt, but to the Opposition which he made to Sir Kingston's Election to the Chaplain-fellowship. 2. And the Visitation, not to his Lord­ship's willingness to judge of Mr. Colmer's Appeal, or assert his own Jurisdiction; but to the necessity of freeing the College from an intolerable Rector; who, on his part, did not oppose it out of faithful­ness to his duty, but to divert an enquiry into those Actions which could neither be denied, nor defended. [Page 2]The former of these will in few words be confuted; and the latter, by that very Account which the Au­thor himself giveth of it.

1. With the Former he solemnly beginneth his Account, p. 15. but in so confused a manner, as plainly betrayeth his Ignorance concerning Ele­ctions in Colleges; yea, and concerning the beha­viour of the present Fellows of This very College. For had he known that three, if not all the four, of those who now consented to the Expulsion of the Rector, owe their Places in it to his kindness; he must know, that he could be no more secure of com­manding Sir Kingston 's vote, than any other man's; and did he understand the business of an Account, he could not think the Rector needed one Vote to make the division of the College equal, when he had the majority on his side. The truth of the Story is plainly this; Dr. Reynel (late Fellow of C. C. C.) recom­mended to the Rector a young man of his College, whom he admired for his singular acquaintance with Books: the Rector therefore upon examina­tion finding this to be true, had a particular eye upon his Manners; and as he found him otherwise unblameable, so he observed him to be one of the ve­ry few that were constant at monthly Communions.

When the Chaplain-fellowship was shortly to be vacant, he received a Letter from the Chapter-Clerk of Exeter, informing him, That the Dean and Chapter (in whose Gift that place is) had for this time given him the nomination of it; he therefore promised it to Sir Kingston: Which Mr. Colmer un­derstanding, went himself, and then got as many as he could of the Fellows to write to the Dean and Chapter, praying them not to nominate Sir King­ston, who on his part got a greater number to write [Page 3]a contrary Letter in his favour, whereby, and by the Rector's mediation, he obtained the place.

Such an Affront put upon a Rector by a Batchel­lor of Arts, the Libeller (judging of the Rector's mind by his own) thinks sufficient to make him de­clare, That he would upon that account compass Mr. Col­mer 's Expulsion: but this revengeful, malicious Old Man (as some-body charactered him) was so far from it, that he gave him not the least reprimand in word or countenance: yea, whereas he had now time to take his Degree of Master of Arts, but could not have it without the Rector's consent, and the denial of it would make him sick of his Fellowship, which would not be so advantageous to him, as the hindrance of his Practice of Physick would be pre­judicial; the Rector was so far from denying it, that he did not put him to the trouble of asking it, but consulting his (then supposed) Modesty, frankly gave him his Letter to the Sub-Rector (themselves being then in Devonshire) whereby he had his De­gree: nor did he afterward change his Countenance toward him, till he found him named Father of a Bastard.

2. The other Cardinal Falshood, viz. That the Visitation was held on purpose to free the College from an intolerable Rector, is sometimes contradi­cted by the Accomptant himself, particularly, p. 11. His Lordship was sworn to preserve the Rights of his See; and This of receiving Appeals, and Visiting of Exeter College, was not only one of them, but so much the more necessary to be preserved, as his Lordship's Diocese hath a more than ordinary relation to That College.

Again, The enormous Crimes of the Rector are sometimes made the Cause of the Visitation, and sometimes the discovery of them are gloried in as [Page 4]the Effect of it. Were it fit to follow the Author's Example, by exposing him for his notorious False­hoods, as he hath laboured to do the Rector for his pretended Crimes; he hath been very liberal in giving occasions; but this were to honour the Scrib­ler with a supposal, That the Reader would think it worth his time to know what kind of thing he is. We shall therefore so far only take notice of him, as may suffice to clear the Rector from the Crimes ob­jected; which come under two Heads, Heresy and Immorality.

1. Concerning his Heresy, thus talketh the young Man, that is not of standing sufficient to study Theology: P. 22. Not long before this time, an He­retical Book, entituled the Naked Gospel, was Pub­lished by Dr. Bury, wherein he endeavours to confute the Divinity of Christ, and to expose it. Dr. Bury denieth that he can properly be said to have Pub­lished that Book; and again, he professeth, that he never denied the Divinity of Christ. He decla­reth his Faith to be no other than that of the Church of England; and renounceth any word, which in that, or any other Book, may seem to contradict it. Yea, he thinketh manifest, that the Author of that Book is so far from denying the Divinity of Christ, that he plainly asserteth it, and that in many places; which for brevities sake may here be omitted; One, if a plain one, being in this case sufficient: And such an one we meet in Chap. 11. in the comparison which he there maketh between the Full Assurance of a Christian, and the Faint Hopes of a Heathen, in the great Article of a Resurrection. He considereth the great difference be­tween the Persons in whom the One and the Other believed. Seneca call'd his Masters Great Men; but [Page 5](saith this Book) Our Author of the Gospel was not only Great, but Infinite. Whatever expression, un­suitable to so plain an Assertion, may drop from an hasty Pen, ought to be thereby interpreted; and imputed, not to the Author's setled Opinion, but his too great heat, in a Question which indeed did not concern the Divinity of Christ, but the Manner of his Generation: For the Former was on both sides acknowledged; the Later was the whole Subject of the Dispute, which Constantine's Letter so often calleth sily.

Whoever readeth That Book with Application and Judgment, will find that the design of it is on­ly to disable Human Authority from imposing up­on our belief more Doctrines than our Lord or his Apostles declared to be necessary; that so, by a due confinement of Faith, Charity may be enlarged. And if this be an Heresie, it is so good an one, and so generally embraced, that no man needs be afraid or ashamed to own it. And in the particular Do­ctrine of Christ's Generation, whatever is intended in the Naked Gospel, is summed up by Dr. Wallis, (whose strict Orthodoxy was never yet question'd) near the Close of a little Treatise, lately by him published, concerning the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity, in this Parenthesis, (For neither hath God distinctly declared it to us, nor are we able fully to com­prehend, nor is it necessary for us to know.)

This once well observed, the Naked Gospel must be acquitted from Blaspheming the Divinity of Christ; and for the charge of Exposing it, there is no other evidence pretended, but this, That he is sometimes stiled a crucified Vagabond: He is (indeed) once, and but once so stiled, and that is in the In­troduction; in which place the Author plainly [Page 6]personateth an Infidel, that he may convince him. The Argument is drawn from the incredible dis­proportion between the meanness of our Saviour's appearance in his Life-time, and the Triumphs of his Cross after his Death: In which kind of Argu­ment, by how much more emphatically the former is depressed, by so much the more powerfully the Inference is, exalted, and our Saviour's Divinity proved: The Jeweller doth not diminish the value of his Diamond, when by the blackness of a Foil he setteth off its Lustre.

What followeth, That the Godhead of our Savi­our is declared to be an Impertinent and Dangerous Speculation, is answered by the now mentioned di­stinction; the overlooking whereof is the true Reason, both of the Libeller's and many other Mens mistakes. Those Fathers, who were the most earnest assertors of the Doctrine of Christ's Divi­nity, were also the severest censurers of Curiosity concerning the manner of his Generation, which is the proper design of this Author.

He never was either so unjust as to pretend to a sole, unqualified, and incommunicable power; nor so Foolish as to claim it from those words in the Coll. Stat. Sit unus Rector.

That the whole System of the Socinian Doctrine, is by this Plagiary transcribed and made his own; if it be true, is an evidence that the Rector is not this Plagiary; for he protesteth, that in his whole Life he never spent so much time in reading Socinian Books, as, put all together, would amount to one day. And to some it may seem wonderful, that so young a Scribler, should be so skilful in the Soci­nian Doctrines and Arguments, when, by the Law, none under the quality of a Dean are permitted to read such Books.

If the Rector ordered this Book to be Printed, he never ordered it to be Published. If he intend­ed to have presented it to the Convocation, it was to have been done, not openly, but within doors; that so from the Principles of the Gospel, they might be induced to inlarge their Charity, at a time when all the Christian World expected it from them. If he made Alterations, it was to remove Offences, which might be taken by some of the Vulgar, for whom it was not calculated.

II. WE are now come to the second part of the Charge, his Immoralities. P. 24. This Book of the Rector's was not more complained of to the Visitor, than his Life; and his Morals discredited the College no less than his Speculations. A heavy Charge! But how proved? Even by the contents of such false or frivolous informations, as were given in the Visi­tation it self.

The weight and truth of them we shall quickly find a fitter place to examine; we may at pre­sent judge of the honesty of the Accountant, by observing how he contradicteth himself, in making these pretended Exorbitances the Cause of the Vi­sitation, that thereby they might be reformed; and yet the Discovery of them the Effects of the Visita­tion, wherein they were (his Lordship saith) de­tected and proved. What! Could they move his Lordship to undertake so great a trouble, before they were detected? or could they be said to be de­tected before him in Visitation, if they were so no­torious before he resolved to Visit?

No less gross is the Anachronism which follow­eth: So that the Dissentions of the Fellows, upon these arbitrary proceedings, grew high; and without the inter­posing care of the Visitor, there was no prospect of quiet [Page 8]or agreement. Never was there a deeper Calm in the College, till its Peace was disturbed, first by Mr. Colmer's Appeal, and then by the Visitor's In­terposition. From that very day, wherein it ap­peared that his Lordship would be concerned, the Juniors threw off the respect which either Statutes or good Manners made due to their Seniors and Officers; and by this Visitation, the disorder is rai­sed to such a height, as alloweth no prospect beyond it, without the interposition of a greater Power.

What followeth is ridiculous. It was easie now (when nothing of danger appeared) to foresee, that nothing could put a stop to the ruine of the (Prospe­rous and Peaceful) College, but a Visitation; no other way of reforming these (unknown) enormities; or of composing these (unmade) divisions; no other me­thod could prevent the change of this Nursery of Reli­gion into a Seminary of Socinianism, whereof it was not in the least danger; and therefore his Lordship was resolved to strain the great trust reposed in him, by exercising a Power which none of his Predeces­sors ever pretended to.

Whatever is said either before or after this, con­cerning the Rector's carriage toward the Visitor, can make him no more Criminal than the majority of the Society, who joined with him in every step, and that by advice of Counsel.

The proper weight of his Charge must lie in those many enormous Crimes, which the Visitor in his Sen­tence declareth to have been detected and proved be­fore him, whereof we are obliged to the Accountant for a Catalogue. But they are such as may be blown off with a puff of breath without a solemn Answer.

1. That the Rector was the reputed Author of a Book called the Naked Gospel (which is not proved to be ei­ther [Page 9]Schismatical or Heretical) That he sat at St. Atha­nasius 's Creed in the Chappel (twice or thrice at most) That he was generally suspected of Heresy (without any occasion by him given) And did not read Prayers so often in the Chappel, as by Statute he is obliged (yet as long as his sight enabled him to do it without Spectacles, he constantly read the Communion Service every Month.

2. He pretended to an Arbitrary Power over the Fellows, and put some of them out of Commons for obeying the Inhi­bition of the Visitor in Mr. Colmer 's Case. He never pre­tended to an Arbitrary Power; and in Mr. Colmer's Case he did but his duty, having no better way to put him out of the College, when Expelled, than by Suspending him that kept him in it.

3. That he sold Places and Offices in the College, particu­larly those of the Cook and Butler. Those places are more profitable than the Rector's own, and therefore worth purchasing. It was done about Twenty years since; was approved of in a Visitation held about Fourteen since by Dr. Master; is countenanced by a Statute, which taking away the Mancipal's place, alloweth the Rector 10 l. 13 s. 4 d. in compensation for his loss of the advantage which had belonged to him by the disposal of it; His pre­decessors had openly practised it; and Harding himself (if interrogated) must have declared that his Father bought it of Dr. Prideaux. The Cook and Butler (when examined) deposed, That the Rector, when he took the Money of them, told them it must be laid out in College-building (which the Accountant thought not fit to take notice of). By valuation of Workmen it appeareth, that the Rector added to it 500 l. out of his own Purse: and he can give account of 200 l. more, not by them known.

He proposed the illegal exaction of Bonds from the Fellows who thereafter should be Elected, whereby they should be enga­ged to seek no reparation if he Expelled them. To propose any thing to the Fellows is no Crime, He did this by advice of Counsel; it is practised in some other Colleges, and our present trouble maketh it advisable in ours, so to avoid fu­ture [Page 10]Appeals, not if the Rector, but if the Rector and his Statutable Assessors should expel any.

4. That he was by publick fame, upon probable Grounds, suspected of Incontinency. For this Information he is to thank Mr. Colmer, and will answer it anon. But how can those answer their breach of Oath, who spake nothing of Mr. Colmer's Incontinence, not only upon probable grounds supposed, but by plain evidence proved.

5. That Dr. Hearn having a Parsonage above the value limited in the Statute, kept his place contrary to the intent of the Founder. The Rector had a controversy with Dr. Hearn concerning it; the Vice-Chancellor, now Lord Bishop of Bristol, had the hearing of it; he determined that we must not act by the intent of the Founder, but the Letter of the Statute; and that by the Letter of the Statute the Rector could not void his Fellowship: He therefore, according to his obligation, acquiesced in that Sentence.

6. That Mr. Vivian was Elected into Mr. Colmer 's place, being then full. That Place was both vacated, and filled by direction of Statute.

7. And Lastly, That Divinity Disputations were seldom held; The Philosophical Lectures performed by Deputies; The Catechists Duty not observed; and in short, the whole Discipline of the College neglected. The Rector laboured hard to have Divinity Disputations duly held; but neither he nor his Pre­decessors could effect it; partly by reason of a Decree which obliged the Commoner-Masters to be equal there­in with the Fellows; partly by absence of Fellows when their turns came. That Philosophical Lectures were perform­ed by Deputies, hath no colour of blame. That the Catechists Duty was not observed, is a crime beyond memory; the stipend being but 20 s. and the Duty not clearly express'd. That the whole Discipline of the College was neglected, is a Charge too general to be either Believed or Answered.

2. After such discoveries of such Crimes, little will need to be said of the Sentence, which in Latine speaks thus,— Propter ejus manifestam & multiplicem Contuma­ciam, & circumstantiis variis aggravatam in non submit­tendo [Page 11]se Visitationi nostrae Ordinariae sed contumaciter se absen­tantem (quod quidem repetundarum & criminum aliorum e­normium, imò Haeresis metu fecisse videtur) which may thus faithfully be translated into English,—For his manifest and manifold Constancy, aggravated by the concurrence of the greater part of the Society, in not submitting himself to our Ʋnstatutable Visitation, but constantly absenting himself, which he seemeth to have done, for fear of being found a Benefactor to his College, and for a few other frivolous miscarriages, part falsly suggested, part insignificantly proved, yea, of the charita­ble Heresy of the Latitudinarians, who Teach, that a Man may be saved if he believe all that our Saviour and his Apo­stles declared to be necessary.

This better deserveth the name of an Account, for it is a faithful one; of,

1. The Innocency of the Rector, in whose Twenty five years Conduct no greater faults could be found.

2. The Officious malice of the Informants, who would rather play such small game than sit out.

3. The unreasonableness of the Accountant, who ma­keth such outcries for nothing.

4. The exact Justice of the Visitor, punishing the same contumacy in the Rector with Deprivation, and in the equally guilty Fellows, only with such Suspension as might disable them from defending him; and all by the extraordinary power of an Ordinary, now first heard of in the College, and practised upon a person whom him­self had put out of his Jurisdiction if he had any.

The parity of Reason therefore which is pretended be­tween the Rector's Case and Mr. Colmer's, alledging, that the one may no more Appeal than the other, is utterly void of Reason: For in Mr. Colmar's Case, both Judges and Crime are statutable; but in the Rector's, neither the one nor the other. And his Story, That the Rector openly declared, that he would not acquiesce in the determination of Their Majesties in Council, is equally void of Reason and Truth. And indeed, the Art of that Paragraph is admira­ble, if it can impose upon any considering Reader; for he [Page 12]so wordeth it, as to accuse the Rector for declaring he would not submit to His Majesty in Council, yet ex­cuse the Visitor in case he should do the same. Application to Council (saith he) in things of that Nature, hath alway been warranted by Custom; the Precedents of their Final decisions are not few: There's for the Rector. But for the Visitor, the softer word Arbitrations is added to Decisions; and their Or­ders have been usually, by mutual consent of both Parties, o­beyed.—Whether their Lordships did not think this Cause to fall under their cognisance, or upon any other motive (which being things secret and uncertain, it is not proper to enquire in­to) their Lordships thought fit wholly to dismiss this Cause from that Board, and to refer the Visitor to the usual course of Law. All this is for the Visitor, whose Petition was dismissed in the same manner, and upon as full a hearing, as in Chan­cery any Complainants Bill is dismissed when his Cause appeareth to be bad. Yet was the Rector never so rudely insolent, as to say that he had laid the Visitor upon his Back.

But now, since in this entangling Paragraph things are spoken for the Power of that Honourable Board, that the Rector may appear disobedient; and some for diminu­tion of That Power, that the Visitor may be excused; how can it be prevented that these different Assertions should not mistake their way, and so his Lordship bear the blame which was intended for the Rector, and the Rector be justified by what was intended for the Visitor? Nothing appeareth but meer confidence that his charms have so enchanted the Reader, that he cannot believe any good of the One, or any ill of the Other; and an impotent malice to the Rector, whom he would not forbear to ca­lumniate, tho his Lordship might suffer equally with him.

But the plain matter of fact is this: His Lordship, up­on the College's refusal to submit to his Visitation, made his complaint to that Honourable Board: yet now, that the College (following his example) complained of his Unstatutable Proceedings, and Her Majesty, then perso­nally present in Council, ordered that his Lordship should send his Answer in writing with all convenient speed; [Page 13]which Order was presented to his Lordship on the 22d of August: yet hath he not taken any notice thereof; and those of his Party in the College say, That his Lordship declareth (as this Writer falsly saith the Rector did), That the Council hath no Power to determine it. On the con­trary, the Rector always did, and still doth declare, That ever since there was a College in England, His Majesty's Predecessors have been acknowledged Supreme Visitors in them all; That there are many Precedents of their de­terminations of all kinds of Controversies, and in all kinds of ways, sometimes in Council, sometimes by references to persons appointed by themselves, sometimes by Let­ters, &c. But never any Precedent of mutual Consent of both Parties.

And he addeth, That however other Subjects may claim to have their Rights determined by course of Law, yet with Societies of Students the case is very different. For the continuance of dissention during so tedious a time, may probably be more mischievous to such a Corpora­tion, than any quick Sentence. And he professeth, that were not the Interest of his College wrapt up in his own, he would rather chuse to be ruined by a speedy Order of that Honourable Board, than indemnified by keeping his College so long in the disorder it now groans under, which in half an years time will do it more mischief, than can be repaired in a whole Age.

And for his poor College, he cannot avoid pleading, that it appeareth very strange, that One should suffer for refusing to submit to a Power, which since the founda­tion of the College, till now, was never Claimed; and another triumph in refusing to submit to a Power, which till now, was never Questioned.

THE Rector thus vindicated from the Sentence of the Visitor, it remaineth that he be so from an Information of the Author, so agreeable to his good humour, that he cannot forbear to suggest it, tho in good manners (for­sooth) the modest man will not expose it. Concerning the fourth Article (saith he) three Affidavits were taken, which out of respest to the Rector's Character, it is thought fit at pre­sent to conceal.

How! Three Affidavits! A Bishop by the Apostle's Rule may receive an Accusation against an Elder by Two or Three Witnesses. And if there be Three, con­cerning a Crime which of it self the Statute maketh suf­ficient for deprivation, what needs the superfluous trou­ble of hunting about for other petty Informations to make up an accumulative Guilt? And (which is yet more unaccountable) when the Visitor in his Sentence so ap­parently straineth for a competent Crime, why is not This once mentioned, which would make so considerable a Figure among so many Cyphers? That it was not re­verence to the Rector's Character, but his Own, which made his Lordship ashamed to mention so gross a Story, and nothing but malice could tempt the Author to do it, when his Lordship had not done it in those Proceedings, whereof the Title Page professeth an Account, will ap­pear to any honest judicious Reader by the Relation which we shall now give of it.

About 20 years since, the Rector took pity of a Coun­try Woman of his (one Thomasin) who by marriage with an Idle, Drunken Fellow (one Ferdin. Smith) was fallen into extremity of want: he gave her such Employments in the College as enabled her to maintain Him, her self, and Children.

The Rector, with his Wife and whole Family, spent a good part of the Summer 1688. in Devonshire; he was obliged to be at the College at Allhallontide; thither there­fore he came, leaving his Family in Devonshire, with in­tent to return to them as soon conveniently he could, and winter with them there. But by the happy unexpected coming of his present Majesty, then P. of O. the Country being full of Soldiers, he was necessitated to delay his re­turn two months longer than he intended. Being therefore loath for a short and uncertain time to take a Servant in­to Covenant, he spake to this Woman to get somebody to keep clean his House, &c. by the week. She sent him the famous A. Sparrow, whom after some weeks patience he complained of, and said, he found he needed a better Ser­vant, and one that might be in his House at all hours: To [Page 15]the same purpose also he spake to Mrs. Wells, who got him another, which when he told Thomasin of, she dissua­ded him from taking her, because she was ill conditioned; and recommended her own Daughter, who had formerly been his Servant, and was then at home with her Parents. He took her, and being now a Housekeeper, took home one Grace Weeks, (whom at breaking up of House, his Wife had put to a Boarding-School in the Town, and kept her in his House while the Town was full of Soldiers.

Presently after Christmass, he returned to Devonshire to his Family, and soon after his return thence to Oxford, he found this Woman's Husband so impudent as to take up­on himself to Father a Bastard, tho it were plain he was in Cornwall when it was begotten; and to refuse to an­swer such Questions as the Rector proposed to him in or­der to the finding out the True Father; The Woman her self also prevaricating in her Answers, he took away one of her Places, threatning to deprive her of the other also, if her Husband would not undergo examination up­on his voluntary Oath, or otherwise discover the True Father of the Bastard; and after some months time was as good as his word, notwithstanding some threats which were brought him from her, of something that should be sworn against him.

When his Lordship came with such an high hand to visit the College, and everyone doomed the Rector to ex­pulsion; whether in hope of favour from the Future Re­ctor, or an itch of revenge upon the Present, or to gratify their good Master Colmer; or whatever other Reason, the Mother, Daughter and Son, combine to disgrace and ruine their Old Master.

The first and greatest blow was to be given by the Daughter, who would swear that he tempted her to In­continence at the time when she was with him in the House, above a year and half past; he being at that time threeescore and five years old.

As soon as this Trull discovered her intent, two of the Seniors, and two of the Juniors of the Visitor's Party made this Address to him.

This is a competent Answer to Mr. Colmer's 4th Ar­ticle: For if the Rector were before this by publick fame, upon probable grounds, suspected of Incontinence; that must have made the present Information credible, so far at least, as to have discouraged them from such an interpo­sition.

The Daughter's Affidavit is indeed very particular; and that it might be strengthened by some auxiliary Evi­dence, Grace Weeks is vouched for a Witness, and a Mole in the Rector's Foot for a Token. Grace Weeks the Visi­tor very kindly examined, exhorting her not to spare the Rector, because it would be for his good to have his Lewdness discovered: but finding her constant in clear­ing him, believed (it seems) his Compurgators had rea­son for their confidence. Yet he constantly interrogated all that were brought before him, and had used to come to the Rector's Lodgings, Whether they knew any ill concerning him?

The Mole is no competent Token, for it is proved not to have been a Secret.

The Mother's Affidavit voucheth Mrs. Wells and Goodwife Harper: The former cleareth the Rector by Affidavit; the other by Word before Witnesses, there being no means to compel her to make Oath, and she be­ing fearful to be undone, as others had been, if she should do it voluntarily.

The Son telleth an insignificant Tale of the Rector's sitting in a Settle, and then going out into the Kitchen with one Martha Wotton, who maketh Affidavit, That she believeth the Rector to be as chast as any man what­soever.

This good Family have neglected no means to get some strengthning to their own suspected Te­stimonie, they have hunted about the Country, to try if by any means some one that had lived in his Family might be brought to Witness against the Doctor Particularly Joan Richardson, the Sister of one Elizabeth Terry, told one Elizabeth Austin that Tho­masin Smith came to her Mother and her, to en­quire where the said Betty Terry lived, and asked if they thought she could say any thing against Doctor Bury, which if she did, she should be well rewarded: But the said Joan told the said Elizabeth Austin, that she would not tell the particular re­ward which was offered. This Elizabeth Terry testi­fieth that she lived in Doctor Bury's House a whole year, and never saw any immodest or indecent carriage in him toward her self, or any other bo­dy. But poor people affrighted at the undoing of others for swearing truth, though compelled to it by Warrant from the Vice Chancellors Court, are very hardly induced to say any thing, for which reason the Mother and Sister of Elizabeth Terry will not speak what they know.

Lastly. Since the whole force of the Accusation dependeth upon the single and contradicted te­stimony of one Wench, it is worth heeding that she is an infamous lying Creature, and proved so by some Affidavits annexed, to which many more might have been added had there been need.

And now what more in such a case can be ex­pected to clear an innocent man, from the malici­ous slander of a Revengeful Woman? The Rector superannuated, the Wench infamous, the whole Fa­mily revengeful, every word of either of their testi­monies disproved, endeavors used to get others to cor­roborate [Page 18]their lying accusations, the Visitor con­vinced, &c.

Though the Rector hath met with as much severi­ty in the world (perhaps) as any man of his qua­lity, yet he hath reason to expect that this scandal should rather turn to his Credit, than Disgrace, notwithstanding the sticking quality of this kind of filth.

ANd now before he leaveth the Stage, on which the Authors malice hath exposed him, it is thought fit to give some account how he hath provoked the Younger, Looser, and Busier Part of the Uni­versity, to persecute him as they do.

When Oxford was rather a Garrison than an Uni­versity, he did his little to serve King Charles I. by labouring in the Works, and watching in the Guards, as a Souldier in the University Regiment. When the prevailing Party sent Visitors to the Univer­sity, he refused to submit, and for that, and read­ing Common Prayer in the Chappel, was driven out of Town by a file of Musquetiers. (What ma­lignant Star visited this poor mans Birth, that He only since the Creation of the World should be twice expelled out of the same Colledge for the same Crime (I should have said Merit) faithfulness to his Duty.)

Thus expelled from his Fellowship, he went in­to the Country, where with his sequestred Father, without any sinful complyance with the prosper­ing Party, he weathered out that troublesome time.

Upon Restauration of the Kingly Government, he was proffered preferment more than eight times the value of this Rectorship: But just in the nick, [Page 19]some of the Fellows (whereof one was Mr. Payn­ter, his new elected Successor) made complaint to the then Bishop of Exeter (Doctor Ward) that the Rector must be removed, or the Colledge ru­ined. The present Rector was by a Friend per­swaded that it would be a very meritorious Work if he would take the place: It was contrived that be should quit his proffered preserment, part where­of should be given to the Rector in exchange for his Rectorship: In this agreement the Society of the Colledge had not been consulted, and when it came to be put in practice, would not consent to it, none more opposing it than Mr. Paynter, who thereby lost the pleasure of seeing a Rector expelled.

This present Rector therefore begged the Bishop to leave him to his former course: He said he was ready to exchange a Preferment that would main­tain him, for one that would need maintenance; but he was loth thereby to purchase an uneasie life among those that would hate him for it. The Bishop was too far engaged to retire, expressed great anger against the now Rector for mention­ing it, and brought him to the Arch-bishop (Shel­don) who promised, that when he had done this good office, he should not be long left in the place. He was therefore constrained to submit to be elected upon the King's Mandate.

This made him lookt upon as an enemy to the priviledges, not of this Colledge only, but of the whole University: And though in the One by his Conversation and Conduct, he overcame this pre­judice, yet he findeth himself not pardoned by the Other.

Thus in recompence for having been banished out of his Colledge for Loyalty, he was banished [Page 20] into it for Generosity; obliged to add three pence of his own to every penny he received for his maintenance in that Station; wherein notwith­standing, he sat down contented, without the least endeavour for advancement.

And as for his behaviour in that costly place, this is the sum of his Socinianism and Arbitrary Government. He publickly in the Chappel told the whole Colledg, that by the Canons of the Church, they were o­bliged to bow at the Name of Jesus; and whereas formerly there had been only annual Communi­ons at Easter, he made them monthly, himself al­ways Consecrating.

Whereas they used in rustick manner to sit when Psalms were reading, he assumed not Arbitrary Pow­er to Command, but Perswading some of the best enclined to joyn with him; by his own and their example he shamed the rest, and so brought all to stand up. Whereas there had used to be a Psalm in rhythm sung after the Chapter, he caused the Hymns regularly to be read: And hoping to get them sung as they are in some Colledges in Cambridge, at his own cost set up an Organ in the Chappel: But this design failed, partly for want of maintenance for an Organist, partly because the company joyn not their voices when there is one.

This is the true account of his indifference to Orders in the Chappel, objected by the Libeller.

Then for Discipline in point of Manners: Where­as Tutors had long neglected to bring their Pupils to Prayer in their Chambers, or take any other account of them at night, by which neglect they had free liberty to be drunk: To supply this de­fect, he proposed to the Society, and had their consent, to have Prayers in the Chappel at nine of [Page 21]the Clock; where by having a view of every one that was present, and a Note of every one that was absent; and by exacting an account of the reason for which the absent were so, he immediately effected a visible change in point of Sobriety, which conti­nued till this Visitation did not only Slacken but quite Break the reins of Government, and then the young men took liberty to be more debauched than ever, and in gratitude joined together against the Ruler and other Officers. For oeconomy, he found the Colledg plunged in debt, but had now not only freed it from debt, but stocked it with some Money to defray the Expences which our Patron doth now necessitate us to undergo. His own Lodging was so unhabitable, that he was fain to hire the House which his Predecessor (Dr. Prideaux) built, design­ing to leave it to his Successors, but necessitated to leave it to a Daughter. He so altered and enlarged it, as to double his Lodging, and make it suitable (at least) to the quality of the Inhabitant.

Colledg Chambers were so scarce and bad, that a Fellow must have six or seven Juniors before he could have one free to himself, as every one now hath by raising a Pile of Building upon a disgrace­ful waste corner. This was done partly by Contri­butions of Gentlemen that had formerly been of the Colledg, partly by Entrance-money of Fellow-Commoners with consent of the Society, partly by the Rector's own.

And for a further reception of young Gentle­men, and augmentation of the Rector's Mainte­nance by the Rents, out of his own Purse he add­ed an equal Pile of Buildings adjoining thereto.

Thus hath this unhappy Man spent and been spent about five and twenty years, to the impove­rishment [Page 22]of himself, as well during the whole course of his Government, as at his first entrance upon it; and his love to his Colledg is so unalterable, that however grievous it may seem to leave those ad­vantages to a Competitor, which he purchased for his lawful Successors; yet he would rather do it, than be an occasion of damnifying his beloved Col­ledg by an expensive defence of his right, were it not a greater damage to it, to be spoiled of its Pri­viledges than to spend its Money.