at year, was his sole adventure
of noteworthy compass as a versifier; and he certainly testified his
discretion in choosing thenceforward to be satisfied with writing
prose. A valuable prebend attached to the Salisbury Cathedral was
bestowed on him at this time, near about which he is supposed to have
delivered, in discourses, his so-called _Comment on Ruth_. Next we
hear of him as rector of Broadwindsor, where, probably, he composed
his _History of the Holy War_, published in 1639. His _Holy State_ was
given to the world in 1642. Having just before this removed to London
under circumstances which are involved in some obscurity, he was there
appointed lecturer to the Inns of Court and to the Savoy Chapel. But
trouble awaited him, as it then awaited all other loyalists whom it
had not overtaken already, and 1643 found him a refugee at Oxford.
There he was warmly welcomed by the king and his adherents, but on his
imprudently daring to urge lenient counsels, his moderation gave as
much dissatisfaction to the court party as it had previously given to
the Parliamentarians, and he fell into temporary disgrace.
Nevertheless, he suffered, at the hands of the anti-royalists, the
same spoliation which would have been visited on a malignant of the
extremest stamp. To fill up the measure of his misfortune--as if it
were not enough that he should be deprived of his stated means of
livelihood--he was despoiled of his library. For a while, also, his
loyalty was held, though without the slightest grounds, in
considerable suspicion. On coming to be better known, however, he was
restored to favor, and was enrolled among the royal chaplains. If the
doubts as to the sincerity of his adhesion to Charles were ever
actually thought to have good foundation, they must have been
dissipated by his voluntarily exposing himself to danger, as he did at
one of the sieges of Basing House. Like Isaac Barrow, he would at need
have done duty militant just as effectually with carnal weapons as
with spiritual. No longer required at Basing House, he repaired to
Oxford again, and then to Exeter, where he was nominated chaplain to
the princess Henrietta Anne. But he held his new post for only a short
period. Leaving Exeter, he once more sought Oxford, and thence went to
London. Forbidden to preach there, he retired to Northamptonshire, and
then reappeared at the metropolis, where he was sojourning in the
memorable year 1649. Becoming in that year curate of Wal