after the year 1682, when the nonconformists were more obnoxious to the laws than ever, he went from place to place, and preached where he thought he could do it with most secrecy.* He was at length surprised by a party of soldiers, and sent to Newgate; where he died the 19th of Jan. 1684-5. "He was buried by his friends with great honour; many eminent persons, and some scores of mourning coaches attending his funeral."+

THOMAS CASE, (M. A.); a small head, with several others.-See JACOMB.

Thomas Case, who was educated at Christ Church, in Oxford, was one of the assembly of divines in the late reign, and a frequent preacher before the parliament. He distinguished himself by his zeal for the Covenant, to which he, with his usual constancy, ad

* As the laws, in this reign, were very severe against all religious assemblies which were not of the established church, the nonconformists sometimes met in very obscure places in the country. There is a tradition, that a congregation of Protestant dissenters were assembled in a barn, which frequently harboured beggars and other vagrants; and that the preacher, for want of a ladder or a tub, was suspended in a sack affixed to a beam. He preached that day upon the last judgment, and, towards the close of his sermon, entered upon a description of the terrors of that tribunal. He had no sooner mentioned the "sounding of the trumpet,” than a strolling mimic-trumpeter who lay concealed in the straw, began to exert himself. The congregation, struck with the utmost consternation, fled in an instant from the place; and left the affrighted preacher to shift for himself. The effects of his fright are said to have appeared at the bottom of the sack; and to have occasioned that opprobrious appellation by which the nonconformists were vulgarly distinguished. This idle story, which was communicated by a dissenting minister, was propagated throughout the kingdom, in the reign of Charles II.

+ Calamy.

I cannot help observing, that there is something so sanguinary in one, at least, of his sermons, that, like that of Josias How,§ of Trinity College, Oxford, it should have been printed in red letters. In the sermon preached before the court martial, 1644, he says, "Noble sirs, imitate God, and be merciful to none that have sinned of malicious wickedness;" meaning the royalists, who were frequently styled malignants.

He was a native of Grendon Underwood, Bucks. The sermon, of which only thirty copies were taken, was thus printed by command of Charles I. The author is said to have made a whimsical vow, that if he ever printed any thing, it should be in red letters. See Wood's "Fasti," ii. 56, and Hearne's "Glossary to Robert of Gloucester," p. 669. He died in 1701, aged 90. His sermon is mentioned here as a very singular curiosity. Wood had never seen it; but Hearne had a copy.

hered. He was some time minister of St. Mary Magdalen's, in Milk-street; but was ejected thence for refusing the Engagement; and became afterward rector of St. Giles's in the Fields. He was imprisoned for six months in the Tower, together with Mr. Jenkin, Dr. Drake, and Mr. Watson, for conspiring against the Independent government: this was commonly called Love's plot. They appear to have been equally engaged in a design to restore the king; but all, except Love, were pardoned upon their submission. He first began the morning exercise, or lecture, which was long continued at Cripplegate, and other parts of the city. He died the 30th of May, 1682, in the 84th year of his age, after having survived every one of the dissenters that sat in the assembly of divines. His works are chiefly sermons. Mr. Baxter styles him " an old, faithful servant of God."

SIMEON ASHE; a small head, with a scull. It is in the same plate with that of Jacomb, &c.

Simeon Ashe, who was educated at Emmanuel College, in Cambridge, under Dr. Stooker, was intimate with Hildersham, Dod, Ball, Langley, and other nonconformists eminent in their day. He exercised his ministry in London for about three-and-twenty years. In the time of the civil war, he was chaplain to the Earl of Warwick. As he was a man of fortune and character, his influence was great among the Presbyterians. He had no inconsiderable hand in the restoration of Charles the Second. Dr. Calamy speaks of him as a man of sanctity, benevolence, and hospitality. "He was," says that author, "a Christian of primitive simplicity, and a nonconformist of the old stamp." How far the narrow bigotry of a sect, and acrimony of railing, may accord with "primitive simplicity," I leave the reader to judge. I am very certain that he proves himself to be a nonconformist of the old stamp by bitter invectives against the conforming clergy, whom he calls "blind seers, idle drones, misguiding guides, and scandalous ministers, who plucked down more with their foul hands than they built up with their fair tongues." Ob. 1662. He published Ball's works, and several sermons of his own composition. The reader is referred to Walker and Calamy for the particulars of his character.

* Sermon before the Commons, 1642.

THOMAS LYE, (M. A.); a small head, with several others. See JACOMB. Mr. Wood says this head very like him.

is

Thomas Lye, who was some time a servitor at Wadham College, in Oxford, was, in the time of the interregnum, made minister of Chard, in Somersetshire; whence he was ejected for refusing to swear contrary to the Covenant. In 1658, he became pastor of All-hallows church, in Lombard-street, London; and was, the next year, made one of the approvers of ministers, as he had been before in Somersetshire. He was famous for catechising children, and writing books for their instruction. His manner of instructing was so engaging, that the children came with eagerness to be catechised by him. His " Explanation of the shorter Catechism," and his "Child's Delight," have been often printed. Mr. Wood, in his account of his sermons, says he has one in "The Morning Exercise at St. Giles's in the Fields, near London, in May, 1659.” Lond. 1676, 4to. In which "Morning Exercise," one John Tillotson hath also a sermon. Ob. 7 July, 1684.

THOMAS WATSON, &c. (M. A.) J. Sturt sc.

THOMAS WATSON. V. Hove; prefixed to his “ Art of Contentment," 1662; 8vo.

Thomas Watson, who was educated at Emmanuel College, in Cambridge, was minister of St. Stephen's Walbrook, in London, where he was much admired as a preacher; and his powers in praying extempore, are said to have been very extraordinary. Dr. Calamy tells us, that Bishop Richardson, before the Bartholomew act took place, went to hear him on a lecture day, and was much taken with his sermon, but more with his prayer after; that he followed him home to thank him, and beg a copy of the prayer; and that the prelate was surprised, when he told him it was not premeditated. His "Art of Divine Contentment" has been oftener printed than any of his works. After his death, was published his

This one John Tillotson resembles much the one Walpole of Dr. Swift, in his Last Four Years of Queen Anne. But Swift improves upon it by his Apology for having made mention of a person so obscure. Bishop Burnet was censured for having said one Prior.

Body of Divinity, or Course of Sermons," 1692, folio, to which his portrait is prefixed.*

SAMUEL CLARKE, (Sen'.) Et. 50, 1649; in his hair; four English verses; prefixed to his "Lives of the Fathers," &c. 1650; 4to. T. Cross sc.

SAMUEL CLARKE. R. Gaywood f. 4to.

SAMUEL CLARKE. R. White sc. h. sh..

SAMUEL CLARKE, Et. 75, Oct. 10, 1674. Binneman sc. Before his "Looking-glass for Persecutors."

SAMUEL CLARKE, &c. W. Tringham sc. h. sh. SAMUEL CLARKE. J. Dunstall sc. half sheet. SAMUEL CLARKE, Et. 50, 1649; in a cap. Cross sc. SAMUEL CLARKE, Æt. 65, 1664; larger; prefixed to his "Martyrology;" 4to. T. Cross sc.

SAMUEL CLARKE; 4to. Dahl pinx. (Spilsbury.) Samuel Clarke, a preacher and writer of considerable note, was, during the interregnum, and at the time of the ejection, minister of St. Bennet Fink, in London. In November, 1660, he, in the name of the Presbyterian ministers, presented an address of thanks to the king, for his declaration for liberty of conscience. He was one of the commissioners at the Savoy, and behaved on that occasion with great decency and moderation. "He sometimes attended the church as a hearer and a communicant."+ He was much esteemed by all that knew him, for his great probity and industry. He died the 25th of Dec. 1682. His works were much in vogue among ordinary readers. The author and his bookseller seem to

Dr. Doddridge, in his "Life of Col. Gardiner," p. 31, edit. 1747, mentions a book, written by Watson, with this or the like title: "The Christian Soldier, or Heaven taken by Storm," which was the book in which the colonel had been read ing just before his marvellous conversion.

i

have been thoroughly informed of this secret, " That a taking titlepage becomes much more taking, with an engraved frontispiece before it; and that little pictures, in the body of the book, are great embellishments to style and matter." Mr. Clarke was more a compiler than an author. His name was anagrammatized to Su (c) kall Cream, alluding to his taking the best parts of those books from which he made his collections. The most valuable of his numerous works are his " Lives of the Puritan Divines, and other Persons of Note;" in which are some things not to be found in other memoirs. Twenty-two of these lives are printed with his "Martyrology.' The rest are in his "Lives of sundry eminent Persons in this latter Age," 1683, folio;* and in his "Marrow of Ecclesiastical History," folio and 4to.

SAMUEL CLARKE, M. A. natus Nov. 12, 1626. R. White ad vivum sc. h. sh.

This person was the son of the former, and much superior to him in parts and learning. He was fellow of Pembroke Hall, in Cambridge, but was ejected from his fellowship for refusing to take the Engagement. He was also ejected afterward, from his rectory of Grendon, in Buckinghamshire. He applied himself early to the study of the Scriptures; and the books which he published, as helps to others in the same course of study, are so many proofs of his industry and abilities. His "Annotations on the Bible," printed together with the sacred text, was the great work of his life. It is commended in very high terms by Dr. Owen and Mr. Baxter, as a laborious and judicious performance; and in still higher, by Dr. Calamy, who says, that it "bears the lively signatures of his exact learning, singular piety, and indefatigable industry; and has been valued by good judges, of different sentiments and persuasions, considering the brevity of the parts, and entireness of the whole, as the best single book upon the Bible in the world." has been an excellent fund for some modern commentators, who have republished a great part of it, with very little alteration. Nothing is more common at present, than to buy old books of divinity at three-pence a pound, and retail them to the public at three

It

* In the preface to this book, in which are several portraits, is the life of the author, written by himself. It appears by this account, that he was the most painful and voluminous compiler of his age.