DOWNING. 495 CALIBUTEDOWNING, D.D.-This zealouspersonwas born atShenington in Gloucestershire, in the year 1604, descended of an ancient and worthy family, and educated in Oriel college, Oxford. After he had completed his studies at the an versity, he became successively rector of Ickford in Buckinghamshire, of West Ilsley in Berkshire, and vicar of Hackney, near London. Upon the last removal, Wood says, he sought to become chaplain to theEarl of Strafford, the lord lieutenant of Ireland, concluding that employment the readiestway to become a bishop ; and while he had any hopes of obtaining such preferment, he wrote and spoke boldly in vindication of that calling. But being a reputed weathercock, turning whatever way his own humour and ambition blew him, he, upon some discontent, watched his opportunity to gain preferment in any way in which it could be obtained. " For," our author adds, " he was esteemed by the faction to be fitted for anybase employment, and was one who ever looked awry on the church." 4. This representation, proceeding from the pen of bigotry, and designed to reproach his character, contains a sufficient refutation of itself. Though Dr. Downing might, like some other clergymen, both in ancient and modern times, be too anxious to obtain greater preferment ; there is cer- tainly no substantial evidence, at least Mr. Wood has pro- ducednone, that hewas ever very fond of bishops, or any other splendid and lucrative ecclesiastical office; especially as he ever lookedawry on the church. In the year 1640, Dr. Downing, in a sermon before the artillery company, maintained, " that for the defence of religion, and the reformation of the church, it was lawful to take up arms against the king, if it could be obtained in no other way." For this, he was forced to abscond, when he retired to the house of the Earl of Warwick, till the meeting of the long parliament. In the year 1643, he resignedhis vicarage, andwas succeededby Dr. Spurstowe, afterwards one of the ejected nonconformists.i- Upon the commencement of- the civil war, he became chaplain to Lord Roberts in the Earl of Essex's army, in which office he has incurred the heavy censure of our high-church his- torians. Dr. Downing and Mr. Marshall are charged with publicly avowing, " that the soldiers taken prisoners and released by the king upon their oaths, that they would never bear arms against him, were not obliged by_that oath; and Wood's Athena, vol. ii. p. 26, f Kennet's Chronicle, p. '178. 1111111Mmmkiwoh.sms, .seessata. Tv/Lin, J.
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