HANDSON---WRIGHT. 239 Mr, Handson having continued for some time under the episcopal censure, the treasurer, after due examination of the case, wrote to the bishop in reply to his letter, desiring that the good man might be restored to his ministry. At the same time, Sir Robert Jermin, Lord North, and some others, wrote to his grace, requesting the same favour. Sir Robert, in his letter, said, " That his lordship had examined Mr. Handson's case at length, but, in his opinion, very indiscreetly, in many of the principal points ; that they knew his ministry to have been very profitable to great numbers ; that they who sought to remove him, were adversaries, rather than friends to the truth ; that, as to faith and manners, he was, ever held a sound teacher ; that in these indifferent things (meaning the matters of conformity) he had never laboured much ; and that, from these considera- tions, he requested the bishop would allow him the free exer- cise of his ministry." But the angry prelate stood resolute, and declared peremptorily, that he never would, unless Mr. Handson would publicly acknowledgehis fault, and enter into bonds for his good behaviour in future. Other applications were made to the bishop, to take off his suspen- sion ; but whether he ever became so favourably disposed, we have not been able to learn.. ROBERT WnrouT.-He lived fourteen years in the universityof Cambridge, was a very learned man, and tutor to the Earl of Essex, both in school learning and at the university. Beingdissatisfied with episcopal ordination, he went to Antwerp, where he was ordained by the laying on ofthe hands of the presbytery. Upon his return to Eng- land, Lord Rich of Rochford, in Essex, made him his domestic chaplain ; and he constantly preached and admi- nistered the sacrament in his lordship's chapel, but in no other place, seeing the bishop utterly refused him a license. Hewas an admired preacher ; and, for his great seriousness and piety, was universally beloved by the clergy in the county. While his noble patron lived, heprotected him from danger ; but this excellent lord was no sooner dead, than Dr. Aylmer, bishop of London, laid hands on him ; and for saying, " That to keep the queen's birth-day as an holiday, is to make her an idol," he was committed to the Gatehouse, where he continued a long time.t Strype's Annals, vol. iii, p. 15, 21. °-1- Strype's Aylmer, p. 23-87,
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