ments upon it, a packet was brought in sealed and directed to his grace; upon opening of which there appeared a mask inclosed, but nothing written. The archbishop, without any figns of emotion, threw it carelefly among his papers on the table; and, on the gentleman's expreffing great furprize and indignation at the affront, his grace only fmiled, and faid, That this was a gentle rebuke, if compared with fome others, that lay there in black and white, pointing to the papers on the table.

Nor could the series of ill treatment, which he received, ever provoke him to a temper of revenge, being far from indulging himself in any of those liberties, in speaking of others, which were, to fo immeafureable a degree, made ufe of against himself. And, upon a bundle of libels found after among papers his death, he put no other infcription than this, "Thefe are libels. I pray God forgive` them; I do."

his

The calumnies fpread against him, though the falfeft which malice could invent, and the confidence with which they were averred, joined with the envy that accompanies a high flation, had indeed a greater operation than could have been imagined, confidering how long he had lived on fo public a fcene, and how well he was known. It seemed a new and unusual a thing, that a man, who, in the courfe of above thirty years, had done fo much good, and fo many fervices to fo many per

fons,

fons, without ever once doing an ill office, or a hard thing, to any one, and who had a fweetness and gentleness in him, that feemed rather to lean to an excefs, fhould yet meet with fo much unkindness and injuftice. But he bore all this with a fubmiffion to the will of God; nor had it any effect on him, to change either his temper or his maxims, tho' perhaps it might fink too much into him with relation to his health.

He was fo exactly true, in all the reprefentations of things or perfons, which he laid before their majefties, that he never raised the character of his friends, nor funk that of those who deferved not fo well of him; but offered every thing to them with that fincerity which fo well became him. His truth and candour were perceptible in almost every thing which he faid or did; his looks and whole manner seeming to take away all suspicion concerning him; for he thought nothing in this world was worth much art or great management.

He did not long furvive his advancement; for, on Sunday, the eighteenth of November, 1694, he was feized with a fudden illness while he was at the chapel in Whitehall: but, though his countenance fhewed that he was indifpofed, he thought it not decent to interrupt the fervice. The fit indeed came slowly on, but it seemed to be fatal, and foon turned to a dead palfy. The oppreffion of his diftemper was fo great, that it became very un

H 5

eafy

easy for him to fpeak; but it appeared, that his understanding was ftill clear, tho' others could not have the advantage of it. He continued ferene and calm, and, in broken words, faid, that, he thanked God, he was quiet within, and had nothing then to do but to wait the will of Heaven.

He was attended, the two last nights of his illnefs, by his friend Mr. Nelson, in whose arms he expired on the fifth day of it, Thursday, November the twenty-fecond, at five in the afternoon, in the fixty-fifth year of his age.

The forrow for his death was more univerfal than was ever known for a fubject; and, when his funeral was appointed, there was a numerous train of coaches, filled with persons of rank and condition, who came voluntarily to affift at that folemnity from Lambeth to the church of St. Laurence Jewry, where his body was interred on the thirtieth of that month; and a monument afterwards erected to his memory with the following inscription:

P. M.

Reverendiflimi & fan&tiffimi Præfulis
JOHANNIS TILLOTSON,

Archiepifcopi Cantuarienfis,
Concionatoris olim hâc in Ecclefiâ
Annos XXX celeberrimi,

per

Qui obiit Xo Kal. Dec. MDCLXXXXIV,

Etatis fuæ LXIIII.

Hoc pofuit ELIZABTHA
Conjux illius mætiffima.

His funeral fermon was preached by Dr. Burnet, bishop of Salisbury, on 2 Tim. iv. 7; in the courfe of which he was interrupted by a fhort flow of fighs and tears, which forced their way, as was vifible to the audience, who accompanied it with a general groan.

THE LIFE OF

GEORGE ROOK.

IR GEORGE Rook was born in the county of Kent, of an antient and genteel family; and, having been very well educated in his youth, his father put him, when he grew up and fit to enter upon business, to an honourable profeffion; but his genius violently inclining him to try his fortune on the watery element, his father at length gave way to it. To fea he went, pretty early in the reign of king Charles II. and made fuch proficiency in the naval art, that he was, in fome time after, preferred to the poft of a lieutenant, and, if ĺ mistake not, made a captain, before the death of that prince, which happened in February, 1684 but king Charles having spent several years of the latter part of his reign in peace with his neighbours, we have little to fay concerning this our hero till the reign of king James II. who entertained him in his poft in the fleet, and feemed to discover a mighty opinion and efteem for him; that prince, to do him juftice, taking great delight in the fons of the fea, and having uncommon skill and experience in maritime affairs. But, as

captain →