ee, conscious of his
powers, ambitious and desirous to see the world of letters, science, and
politics in those eventful days. Aubrey tells us that "he has sayd often
times that the first rise, or hint of his rising, was from goeing
accidentally a courseing of a hare, when an ingeniose gentleman of good
quality falling into discourse with him, and finding him to have a very
good witt, told him that he would never gett any considerable preferment
by continuing in the University, and that his best way was to betake
himself to some lord's or great person's house that had good benefices
to conferre. Sayd Mr Wilkins, I am not knowne in the world; I know not
to whom to addresse myself upon such a designe. The gentleman replied,
'I will commende you myselfe,' and did so to (as I think) Lord Viscount
Say and Seale, where he stayed with very good likeing till the late
civill warres."

It is not clear whether this worldly but sound advice was given to
Wilkins before or after he became a country clergyman, for the words
"continuing in the University" might mean either residence there, or
occasional visits to it. Coursing of a hare was, perhaps is, an
amusement equally of University men and of the country clergy: the last
alone can tell us whether they still "goe a courseing
accidentally"--(the word is worth noting)--and whether conversations of
this profitable kind occur in the intervals of sport. But the date of
the incident is of less importance than its result; it was the
turning-point of Wilkins' life. When he became chaplain to Lord Say and
Seale he was introduced into a sphere of politics and action.

William Fiennes, the first Viscount, was a man of light and leading in
the Parliamentary party; "the oracle," as Clarendon styles him, "of
those who were called Puritans in the worst sense, and steered all their
counsels and designs." He deserved his nickname, Old Subtlely, for he
had a clear insight into the real issues from the very beginning of the
great quarrel: he headed in Oxfordshire the resistance to the levying of
Ship-money, and was the champion of the Independents, the most
determined of the king's opponents. His sons, John and Nathaniel
Fiennes, were no less resolute and effective Puritans than the head of
their house; more so indeed, for they were believed, and soon known to
be, "for root and branch."

At Broughton, Wilkins, now chaplain and resident there, met the most
prominent men of the party which was again