Some Remains (hitherto unpublished) of Joseph Butler Part 2

Almighty G.o.d, by whose protection we were preserved the night pa.s.sed, and are here before Thee this morning in health and safety; we dedicate this day, and all the days we have to live to Thy service; resolving, that we will abstain from all evil, that we will take heed to the thing that is right in all our actions, and endeavour to do our duty in that state of life in which Thy Providence has placed us. We would remind ourselves that we are always, wherever we may go, in Thy presence. We would be always in Thy fear; and we beg the continuance of Thy merciful protection, and that Thou would'st guide and keep us in all our ways through Jesus Christ our Lord.

EVENING PRAYER,

Almighty G.o.d, whose continued providence ordereth all things both in Heaven and Earth; Who never slumberest nor sleepest; but hast divided the light from the darkness, and made the day for employment and the night for rest to Thy creatures the inhabitants of the earth: we acknowledge with all thankfulness Thy merciful preservation of us this day, by which we are brought in safety to the evening of it. We implore Thy forgiveness of all the offences which we have been guilty of in it, whether in thought, word, or deed; and desire to have a due sense of Thy goodness in keeping us out of the way of those temptations by which we might have fallen into greater sins, and in preserving us from those misfortunes and sad accidents, common to every day, and which must have befallen many others. We humbly commit ourselves to the same good providence this night, that we may sleep in quiet under Thy protection, and wake, if it be Thy will, in the morning in renewed life and strength.

And we beg the a.s.sistance of Thy grace to live in such a manner, that when the few days and nights which thou shalt allot us in this world be pa.s.sed away, we may die in peace, and finally obtain the resurrection unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Almighty G.o.d, Whose tender mercies are over all Thy works, who feedest the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field, and hast given unto us all things that pertain unto life and G.o.dliness, we desire to have our souls possessed with a due sense of Thy blessings, and to show forth our thankfulness by moderation and temperance in the use of them, by being kind and compa.s.sionate to those who are in distress, and by all those good works which Thou hast appointed us to walk in. And we humbly hope we shall at last experience all Thy goodness to us consummate in that future state, which Thou hast prepared for them that love and fear Thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

EXTRACT FROM THE MS. COLLECTIONS

_From the MS. Collections of the Rev. W. Cole_, _now in the Library at the British Museum_. _Vol._ 10, _p._ 92, _taken at Bristol in the year_ 1746.

Having done with what is in the Cathedral, let us just step into the Bishop's Palace on the south side of it: and here we cannot help observing the generous Temper of the present worthy prelate; who in a poor Bishop.r.i.c.k of about 500 pounds per ann. has already laid out on building an entire new Palace in the room of the old one which was gone to decay, above 3000 pounds. The small Chapel belonging to the old one is standing; but entirely new fitted up, furnished in an elegant Taste and newly wainscoted and a Tribune from one of his Lordship's rooms to look into it at the west end, over the door which is entirely new. The altar piece is of black marble inlaid with a milk white cross of white marble; which is plain and has a good effect. In the East window over it is a small Crucifix with the B. Virgin and St. John under the Cross weeping, of old gla.s.s; and not very curious. Over the new Door into the Chapel from the Hall, in a void s.p.a.ce made on purpose, is a very old Coat of Gla.s.s of the Arms of Berkly ensigned with a mitre: and this is another reason to make one think that the old Abbey of Bristol gave these arms to their Founder, for their own Coat. I was pleased to find the present Bishop paid such a regard to the memory of the Ancient Abbey and its Founders, as to preserve this old memorial of them with so much care and precaution. A pattern worthy to be imitated in an age, that to my knowledge, in certain places, has not only had such marks of their benefactors taken away in order to get up modern crown gla.s.s; but has also given away and destroyed such memorials of them, as the care of their predecessors for 3 or 400 years have with the utmost grat.i.tude and veneration preserved.

Over the hall chimney-piece, which is preserved with equal care by his Lordship, are the arms of Bishop Wright impaled by his See, and a mitre over them, and R. W. on each side of them; as also Wright impaling per Pale unde six martlets countercharged for Fleetwood.

I don't see his Lordship's Arms in any part of the Palace, which has so just a t.i.tle to have them in every part of it; but however, I shall give them a place here in grat.i.tude to his memory who so well deserves of this place, which, though I have no concern in, nor no acquaintance with his Lordship, yet one always has a value for a grateful and benevolent mind.

The arms of Joseph Butler, Lord Bishop of Bristol and Dean of St. Paul's, are: A. three covered Cups on Bend S, inter two Bendlets engrailed G.

His Lordship was, on the decease of the late Lord Bishop of Hereford, by his Majesty appointed Clerk of the Royal Closet; and it is said that he has also a promise, on the next vacancy, of a translation to the rich See of Durham, which will be well bestowed on a person of his Lordship's large and universal benevolence.

From the same.

Dr. Freeman, speaking of the chapel in the palace at Bristol, told me that he was mentioning the neatness and elegance of it to Bishop Young at Therfield, who told him, that however he might admire the decency and elegance of it, yet upon his waiting, upon some occasion or other, on my Lord Hardwick, his Lordship spoke to him of it, and asked him whether he had not a design of pulling down the cross of marble over the Altar, which he thought was offensive; to which the Bishop replied, that it was probable that he should not have set it up there, but that he should not choose to have it said that Bishop Young had pulled down what Bishop Butler had erected.

STATEMENT CONCERNING THE CHURCH AT KINGSWOOD.

From a MS. in the British Museum. [Add. 9815.]

When the late Lord Bishop of Durham first intended to have a place of Divine Worship erected in Kings Wood, his Scheme was,--To solicit Subscriptions for building a Chapel, and to give 400 pounds towards the Endowment of it, in order to get the like Sum from the Governors of Q.

Ann's Bounty. And he was pleased to lay his Commands upon me to make Application to persons the most likely to contribute to that good Work.

The report I brought him in Consequence of such Application, was to this Effect, that they highly approved of the pious and charitable design, but disliked the particular Scheme of erecting a Chapel of Ease to the Church of St. Philip and Jacob, as this would not answer the good purposes his Lordship intended; and therefore proposed a Division of the Parish, and the Erection of a new Parish and parish Church.

His observations on this Proposal were the following,--That the intended Chapel in Kings Wood would not have been a Chapel of Ease to Saint Philip and Jacob, but distinct from it, as the Inc.u.mbent would have had nothing farther to do with the Chapel, or the income of it, but barely to nominate the Curate, who from thence forward would have been independent of him: However he thought the Scheme of erecting a new Parish to be much preferable in itself, but was attended with more difficulties; and therefore gave up his own Scheme with pleasure, if the Parties concerned would join their Endeavours to Execute the other.

Upon this occasion He not only permitted, but _ordered_ me to say to all Persons, and in all Companies, that he had allotted a Benefaction of 400 pounds for that Use. And when some of the princ.i.p.al Parishioners had fixed upon the Boundaries of their new intended Parish, and had presented a kind of Pet.i.tion or Memorial to him, To have those limits specified in the intended Act of Parliament, they used the following expressions.

"Whereas it hath been made known unto Us,--That your Lordship hath proposed to endeavour to obtain an Act of Parliament for Dividing the said Parish of St. Philip and Jacob, and for erecting and endowing a Church for the said Parishioners,--And that _you have been pleased to offer a large Subscription thereto_, We therefore with grateful Hearts humbly take this opportunity of tendering you our hearty thanks for this your pious and charitable Intention, and being very desirous that the same may be executed, beg leave to a.s.sure your Lordship, that we will use our best Endeavours for promoting the same, &c."

Which Pet.i.tion or Memorial He ordered his Secretary to copy out on two Pieces of Parchment. And then he, the Bishop, sent them to me to carry them to the Parishioners to be signed; and directed me at the same time to desire some of the parishioners to attend him at his Palace, which was on a Sunday Evening; And in their and my Presence he wrote the following words at the Bottom of one of the Pet.i.tions:

"I see no objection against the Division of the Parish above mentioned, and hope the Gentlemen, whose Consent is necessary, will agree to it, since the Inhabitants are the best judges, what is for their own Convenience: and it is a matter of very little Concern to any but them.--Jo. BRISTOL."

Likewise when the Fields, which lay contiguous to the intended Church, were to be purchased, he went to see them, and then and there declared in my hearing, and, as far as I can recollect, in the hearing of several persons there present, viz. Messrs. King, Harrison, &c., That he would purchase them for the use of the intended Church, as soon as ever Sir Abraham Elton, the then Proprietor, could dispose of them.

Also He ordered me, at different times, to bring him a List or Account of all the monies advanced, or engaged for: And I always put down his name with 400 pounds opposite to it, which he approved of.

Moreover, in the preamble of the Act of Parliament, drawn up by Mr.

Pearson his Lordship's Secretary, under his Direction, there are these words:

"And the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Durham (late of Bristol) for promoting so good a design is disposed and ready to give the sum of 400 pounds towards the Endowment of the new intended Vicarage, &c."

Which words in the first copy ran thus, "And the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Bristol, &c.," He being then Bishop of the See of Bristol; And I have heard his Lordship repeat those words in perusing the said Copy.

Farther; upon the Coming of the present Lord Bishop of Bristol to this See, He ordered me to draw up a short State of the Case relating to the new intended Church, and the Several Expences necessary for completing the Design, which Paper was afterwards shown to the Commissioners appointed by Act of Parliament for building the said Church, And they Requested, That it might be printed. But before it was sent to the press, I transmitted a Copy to the late Lord Bishop of Durham, then in London, to know if his Lordship approved of the Publication of it, and whether He would please to make any alteration. His answer was, That he saw no need of Alterations, and thought that the Printing and Dispersing of it might be of service to the charity.

I then directed Mr. Oliver the Printer to call upon his Lordship for the Ma.n.u.script, which he did; and after printing the same, He carried fifty Copies to his Lordship for his own use; One of which Copies was sent to a pious and charitable lady, but whether by his Lordship, or his Secretary, I cannot say; The Issue of which was, A Benefaction of 200 pounds sent to his Lordship, To be disposed of either for the building or the Endowment as his Lordship thought fit. Now in the printed paper above mentioned, there are the following remarkable expressions--

"The late Lord Bishop of Bristol, now of Durham, and the Right Worshipful the Mayor and Corporation of Bristol, _have contributed_ large Sums for carrying the said good Purposes into Execution, &c."

And upon all times and occasions, after he had Purchased the contiguous Grounds above mentioned of Sir Abraham Elton for the sum of 375 pounds, He used to say, That the purchase was for the use of the new Intended Church, and did wish, That some little adjoining Tenement might be found, to be purchased with the remaining Sum of 25 pounds in order to make up the even money of 400 pounds.

Also when I waited on his Lordship last in London, I was desired by Mr.

Willoughby, the treasurer for the said Church, to ask his Lordship, How he would please to have the rents of the purchased Grounds disposed of, as some rents were then become due, viz. whether to be applied towards the endowment--or the Building. And his answer was, That the rents, being the Interest of the money allotted for the Charity should be applied to the charity, as well as the Princ.i.p.al: But whether towards the Endowment or Building He was not yet determined: He believed, the Endowment: but would fix his answer, when he came down to Bristol.

And after his coming down, He several times said, that he would give orders concerning that affair.

He also sent to me one time to acquaint me, That he had a Benefaction put into his hands of 200 pounds (the benefaction above mentioned), And was pleased to desire my advice, Whether it should be applied towards the Endowment,--or the Building. My answer was, That as the Building was so far advanced, There was not much danger, but that Contributions might be raised to finish it,--Either by voluntary Subscriptions,--or a General collection round the city,--or by both methods together. But it would not be found so easy a matter to raise Contributions for the Endowment.

And the Sums. .h.i.therto procured were very far from being a Competency for a _Resident_ Minister. I then mentioned his Benefaction of 400 pounds, and the 400 pounds from Q. Ann's Bounty, as being a sum which might be depended on,--Also the benefaction of 200 pounds in his Lordship's Hands; which possibly might obtain 200 pounds more from the Bounty;--So that the whole Sum, to be reckoned upon, even with the supposed addition of 200 pounds from the Bounty, would only amount to 1200 pounds, which at 3 per cent., would make an Income of 36 pounds a year.

His Lordship was pleased to approve of this Reasoning upon the Case, and said, The 200 pounds should go towards the Endowment: And as his own was a bad Life, the Benefaction should be enrolled in the name of Mr.

Pearson, in order to try to obtain 200 pounds more from Q. Ann's Bounty.

All these particulars I am willing to testify upon Oath.

THE END.