Catalogue description J. AINGER to ELLIS NUTTALL, "servant to Mr. Kenyon."

Deane.--"I have made bold to trouble you with the enclosed. If Mr. Nedham bee in towne I know you wil deliver it him. If hee should bee gone, I authorize you to open the letter, and at a convenient time you may shew it your master; but I hope Mr. Nedham is yet with you, though I heare he is not at your lodgings, which occasions this trouble to you, for which charge I wil satisfy you when I see you."

Enclosure.--1672, December 3. Deane.--"I writt two or three lynes to you last weeke which, whether they did reach you or not, I yet know not. I made bold also to write two lynes to my worthy friend, Mr. Kenyon. The truth is my case is sad, but it is not deplored by my friends, because not truly and fully understood. So soone as ever I knew that God had that mercy in store for us as to restore our King, I was one of the first that sought after reordination, and that not upon the account of wordly concernes, but upon well bottomed principles of judgement and conscience. My former juvenile prankes and madnes did not so estrange my relations' affections as did that one act, the sad effects whereof I feel to this day. Could I, to my owne satisfaction, have continued as I begun, when there was no king in our Israel, I believe I should have been in the van of the Nonconformists, and should not have gone through St. Peter's needle as hitherto I have done. It is well known I lived in good repute with Bishop Hall to his very dying day, and had that good Bishop lived, the first preferment, whether King's Preacher's place or whatever that fell, was promised to mee; but he was too good for earth. God had a scourge for us, and we have drunke of a bitter cup. When I had hopes they were frustraeneous (sic) and, instead of preferment, I am debarred of a settlement. That cruel prosecution or persecution of mee hath undone mee upon severall accounts. My resignation hath very grievously troubled mee, but it was more to please others than myselfe; though I must confess, I could not patiently thinke of a suspension. I have, to my noe small griefe, been out of employment since, though I had hopes some good friend would, ere this, have provided for mee by themselves or their friends. Those that were the abettors of my adversarys are silent in darkness, the one naturally, the other artificially, dead. What God hath in reserve now for us, I know not. I would fain hope, and I doe pray for mercy. Our case in Deane Parish is the saddest, I think, that ever was. That some eighteen combined persons shall carry on all designes against the sense and mind of all the rest of this large parish, keepe in a parson who hath not read one prayer since his first coming in, which was on Palme Sunday; to abuse king, parliament, all authority, parish and all, and putt in a simple young fresh lad, who was but a schollar the other day with my son under Mr. Taylor, and now intend him to be the cypherical vicar (not seraphical doctor) for whom they have gott the broad seale before the last Lord Keeper went out, and they say that this very morning hee is gone for institution and induction. How this will or can be prevented, I know not; but I could wish that noble person, Mr. Kenyon, would arise and stand up for the parish. Colonel Kirby and others would assist, but I need not, I cannot, instruct him. There was great sadnes upon the report of the death of the Bishop. All their discourse and castings for future was to this purpose, that if I did offer (it seems they suspect) to come in, they would indevour to gett in Mr. Rawlett and by all meanes put mee by, and if Mr. Tilsby might not enjoy his liberty as before, they would, and could, gett the seale for him to preach in his house; with such like stuffe. Is it not pitty these should domineer as they have done. For myself I say nothing, but lye with my mouth in the dust. If God see good, hee can restore mee; if not, hee will provide for mee. But because wee are to use meanes, I pray, sir, acquaint my most worthy friend with these things or rather put him in minde, for hee knowes them already, and pray him to bee instrumentall to helpe me to some good concerne. Oh, that God saw good that the King might bee prevailed with to let the Archbishop have a hearing of all their unworthy carriages, from first to last. I believe it might easily be brought about. But I forget myself pardon mee. My soule is troubled within mee. If you bee in London, I pray let me heare from you."

Postscript.--"I have been very loath to report what I have heard, lest it be thought to bee upon private designes. Ever since the last Bishop came in to be their friend, they bragged that matters should go on their side, in spight of Bradshaw and Kenyon, no better epithets so long as they has the Bishop and Lord Keeper's sure stayes, sayes Tilsby. Hee told me, about Ladydaye, to my face he cared not a ---- for the best friends I had, now theirs are gone. I could wish they might know themselves. Pray also tell Mr. Kenyon they have taken Mr. Hatton bound to resigne at their pleasures, having, as an ordinary servant, two or three months warning, the precise time I know not. I am weary of writing their fooleryes and knaveryes."