JOSEPH HALL,

BISHOP OF NORWICH

THIS excellent prélate who has been called, by Sir Henry Wotton, the "Christian Seneca," on account of his sententious style, and not as Bayle erroneously supposed, from his having written at book under that title, was a native of Ashby-de-laZouch, in Leicestershire. His father was a farmer, and had besides a situation under the Earl of Huntingdon. The bishop, in the account which he wrote of his own life, relates a very pleasing anecdote of fraternal affection with regard to his education. Though his parents had destined him for the ministry, yet the largeness of their family and the narrowness of their circumstances, almost prevented them from sending this son to the University. They were accordingly disposed to place him under a private clergyman who promised to give him every qualification necessary for the sacred profession, at a moderate charge. The articles of agreement were about to be executed, when the elder brother happening to be at Cambridge, and conversing with Mr. Nathaniel Gilby, fellow of Emmanuel College, the latter, on "hearing of the diversion of his father's purposes from the University, importunately dissuaded him from

that new course, professing to pity the loss of so good hopes. The elder brother moved with these words, at his return home fell upon his knees to his father, and besought him to alter so prejudicial a resolution, and not suffer the young man's hopes to be drowned in a shallow country channel; but that he would revive his first purposes for Cambridge, adding, in the zeal of his love, that if the chargeableness of that course were the hindrance, he would be better pleased to sell part of that land, which, in course of nature he was to inherit, than to abridge his brother of that happy means of perfecting his education."

Accordingly Joseph was sent to the University, from whence however he had like to have been recalled after two years residence, but providence again raised him up an unexpected friend. Of this he gives the following account:

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My two first years were necessarily chargeable above the proportion of my father's power, whose not very large cistern was to feed many pipes besides mine, for he had twelve children; his weariness of expense was wrought upon by the counsel of some unwise friends, who persuaded him to fasten me upon that school as master, whereof I was lately a scholar. Now was I fetched home with a heavy heart; and now, this second time had my hopes been nipped in the blossom, had not God raised me up an unhoped benefactor, Mr. Edmund Sleigh, of Derby, (whose pious memory I have cause to love and reverence)

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verence) out of no other relation to me, save that he maried my aunt, pitying my too apparent dejectedness, he voluntarily urged, and solicited my father for my return to the university, and offered freely to contribute the one half of my maintenance there, till I should attain to the degree of master of arts; which he no less freely and lovingly performed."

He became fellow of his college, and also lecturer on rhetoric in the public schools, which office he discharged with great applause two years.

After continuing at college about seven years, he was recommended to the lord chief justice Popham for the mastership of Tiverton school in Devonshire, then just founded. This he accepted, and was just come out of the chief justice's house, when a person in the street delivered him a letter from Lady Drury of Suffolk, offering him the rectory of Halsted, near St. Edmund'sbury, and earnestly desiring that he would take it, which he did, and relinquished the school.

Being thus settled in his living, his first care was to rebuild the parsonage house; and his next was to look out for a help-mate, and here also this pious man, in his memoirs notices the goodness of Providence towards him.

"Being now, therefore," he says, "settled in that sweet and civil county of Suffolk, near to St. Edmund's bury, my first work was to build up my house, which was extremely ruinous; which done, the uncouth solitariness of my life, and the

extreme incommodity of that single housekeeping, drew my thoughts, after two years, to condescend to the necessity of a married state, which God no less strangely provided for me; for walking from the church on Monday in Whitsun week, with a grave and reverend minister Mr. Grandidg, I saw a comely and modest gentlewoman standing at the door of that house where we were invited to a wedding dinner, and enquiring of that worthy friend whether he knew her, 'Yes, (quoth he) I know her well, and have bespoken her for your wife." When I further demanded an account of his answer, he told me she was the daughter of a gentleman whom he much respected Mr. George Winniff, of Brettenham; that out of an opinion he had of the fitness of that match for me, he had already treated with her father about it, whom he found very apt to entertain it, advising me not to neglect the opportunity; and not concealing the just praises of modesty, piety, good disposition, and other virtues that were lodged in that seemly presence; I listened to the motion as sent from God, and at last, upon due prosecution, happily prevailed, enjoying the comfortable society of that meet help for the space of fortynine years.

His circumstances, however, were so narrow, owing to his patron, Sir Robert Drury's unjustly

* Some Specialties of the Life of Joseph Hall, Bishop of Norwich, in the third volume of his works, folio, 1662.

detaining

detaining from the living of Halsted, ten pounds a year, which of right belonged to it, that he was obliged, as he says, "to write books to enable him to buy books."

While he was in London, endeavouring to prevail with Sir Robert to do him justice, Edward Lord Denny, afterwards Earl of Norwich, sent for him, "and," says the bishop, "no sooner came I thither, than after a glad and noble welcome, I was entertained with the offer of the living of Waltham Holy Cross, in Essex. The conditions were like the mover, free and bountiful; I received them as from the munificent hands of my God, and returned full of the cheerful acknowledgments of a gracious Providence over me.'

He was at this time chaplain to that excellent youth, Henry Prince of Wales, who strongly solicited him to continue in constant attendance at his court; with the promise of considerable preferment. From a sense of duty, however, he declined this flattering invitation, and resided at Waltham, "where," says he, "in a constant course I preached a long time (as I had done at Halsted before) thrice a week, yet never durst I climb into the pulpit to preach any sermon, whereof I had not before, in my poor and plain fashion, penned every word in the same order wherein I hoped to deliver it."

In 1616, he attended the embassy of James Hay, Viscount Doncaster, to France, and in his absence the king conferred on him the deanry И 3

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