LIFE OF RICHARD BAXTER. 167 for me to Sir Ralph Clare, he gave at my request unsealed; and so I took a copy of it before I sent it away, as thinking the chief use would be to keep it and compare it with their dealings. It was as followeth: "To MY NOBLE FRIEND SIR RALPH CLARE, THESE. "' Sir, "' I am a little out of countenance, that, after the discovery of such a desire in his majesty, that Mr. Baxter should be settled at Kidderminster, as he was heretofore, and my promise to you, by the king's direction, that Mr. Danceshould very punctually receive a recompense by way of. a rent upon his or your bills chargedhere upon my steward, Mr. Baxter bathyet no fruit of thishis majesty's good intention towards him ; so that he bath too much reason to believe that he is not so frankly dealt with in this particular as he deserves to be. I do again tell you, that it will be very acceptable to the king ifyou can persuade Mr. Dance to surrender that charge to. Mr. Baxter; and in the mean time, and till he is preferred to as profitable an employment, whatever agreement you shall make with him for an annual rent, it shall be paid quarterly upon a bill from you charged upon my steward, Mr. Clutterbucke ; and for the exact performance of this, you may securely pawn your full credit. I do most earnestly entreat you, that you will with all speed informme what we may depend upon in this particular, that we may not keep Mr. Baxter in suspense, who bath deserved very well from his majesty, and of whomhis majesty hath a very good opinion ; and I hope you will not be the less desirous to comply with him for the particular recommend Lion of, "' Sir, Your very a ectionate servant " EDW. HYDE." "Can any thing be more serious, cordial, and obliging, than all this ? For a lord chancellor, that bath the business of the kingdom upon his hand, and lords attending him, to take up his time so much and often about so low a person and so small a thing ! And why should not a man be content without a vicarage or a curate- ship, when it,is not in the power of the king and the lord chan- cellor to procure it for him, though they so vehemently desire it? But, O ! thought I, bow much better a life do poor men live, who speak as they think, and do as they profess, and are never put upon such shifts as these for their present conveniences! Won- derful ! thought I, that men cffiho do so much overvalue worldly honor and esteem, can possibly so much forget futurity, and think only of the present day, as if they regarded not how their actions
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