SOME ACCOUNT OF THE

RIGHT REV. DR. THOMAS WILSON,

LATE BISHOP OF SODOR AND MAN.

FEW

Ew as the modern instances have been of sanctity in lawn; even the present century has seen a prelate, whose purity and simplicity of manners would have done honour to the primitive ages.

He was born, December 20, 1668, at BurtonWirral, near Chester; and, having received his school education in England, was sent, A. D. 1681, to perfect his studies in the university of Dublin; where he continued about eight years, and, at the stated periods, took his two first degrees in arts with singular reputation, on account of his literary attainments, and the unblameable regularity of his life. When of age for holy orders, he was ordained deacon, A. D. 1686, by the then bishop of Kildare; and priest, A. D. 1689.

Not long afterwards he quitted the university, on being appointed travelling tutor to lord Strange, eldest son to the carl of Derby. But before the young nobleman had completed the tour of Europe, he died in Italy, at the end of three years from their first setting out; and good Mr. Wilson returned with an heavy heart to England. He had, however, acquitted himself so faithfully, and so well in his care of his deceased pupil, that the earl nominated him to the bishopric of Man; and king William approving the choice, our bishop was admitted to a Lambeth degree of Doctor in Laws, and received his episco

pal consecration at the Savoy chapel in London, on the 16th of January, 1697, from the hands of Sharp, archbishop of York; assisted by Moore, bishop of Norwich, and Stratford, bishop of Chester.

From his first acceptance of this see, he determined to reside with his flock, that he might watch over them, as one that must give a speedy and solemn account of his spiritual stewardship. Repairing, therefore, to the Isle of Man, he took possession of his bishopric, with the usual formalities (which, there, are very peculiar); and, by the strictness of his life and conversation, soon began to shine as a light in a dark place.

The year after, viz. in October, 1698, he gave his hand to Mrs. Mary Patten, daughter of Thomas Patten, Esq. of Warrington, in Lancashire; who was directly descended from the elder brother of William Patten (commonly called, from the place of his nativity, William Wainfleet), the devout and munificent bishop of Winchester, who founded Magdalen College, in Oxford, and who died A. D. 1486. This great prelate was hardly more distinguished by his works of piety and liberality, than by his invariable gratitude to his patron, king Henry VI; to whom he stedfastly adhered, and for whose sake he suffered many mortifying inconveniencies, when that prince was deposed, and the house of York became the reigning family. Wainfleet's monument is still remaining, in the cathedral of Winchester. He lies over against cardinal Beaufort; and his tomb, which does not appear to have received any injury during the civil wars, is one of the most elegant and majestic pieces of Gothic architecture in England.

If a bishop ever merited the title of Right Rev. Father, it was Dr. Wilson; who might truly be styled the father of his clergy, and of the whole island. His benevolent care to augment the revenues, to improve the knowledge, and to regulate the lives, of the parochial incumbents; his care to put

the various schools, in his diocese, on such a footing, as to render them seminaries of strict morals and of sound learning; the zeal he showed, and the expences he sustained, in causing the Bible, the liturgy, and other useful books, to be translated into the Manks language, and distributed through the country; together with many instances of piety and liberality, not confined to his own immediate connections, but extending to England, and even far beyond the boundaries of Europe; demonstrated, that, where the heart is fully bent on promoting the glory of God, great things may be done, without the assistance of extraordinary opulence.

He rightly judged, that to employ the young and healthy poor, was rendering them a more substantial service, than by giving them small pecuniary supplies. Hence, he constantly found something for a considerable number of them to do. His method was, to assemble all his workmen, and domestic servants, in his chapel belonging to his palace, before they entered on the various business of the day, at six in the morning, during the summer season; and, in the winter at seven. On these early occasions, he hardly ever failed being his own chaplain; making it a rule, to read the whole service himself, and to dismiss his domestics, and his labourers, with his blessing: which he pronounced, in the true spirit of culiar solemnity and affection. hospitable table was open, not and neighbours, but also to his

:

prayer, with peAt meal times, his only to his friends meanest workmen,

How different his conduct, from that of a certain great churchman, now living in Ireland! Not long ago, he was repairing his palace there and the labourers were allowed a moderate quantity of small beer daily. But when his lordship paid them off, they found themselves obliged to abate part of their wages, in proportion to the quantity of small beer which they had respectively drank. One of the men, more arch, and less ceremonious, than the rest, addressed him as follows: "I believe, your lordship is the first bp that ever sold small beer. I have a good mind to prosecute you, for presuming to sell malt liquor without a licence." -This anecdote is authentic.

and to such of the honest poor as he was not able to employ.

His concern for the whole people of his charge, reached even to their secular interests. He studied physic, and distributed medicines with success. He imported the finest cattle; and procured the best grain of every kind for seed. And it appeared, that, by the year 1744, he had expended more than ten thousand pounds, in acts of charity and beneficence. Nor did he forget to take thought for the welfare of his successors in the bishopric: of which, when he first took possession, the episcopal demesne was rented at no more than thirty pounds a year; but, through his long and many improvements of the soil, he left it fairly worth four hundred pounds per annum.

His tempers, words, and works, all tended to promote the temporal and moral benefit of his diocese. His unaffected gravity of demeanour was softened and brightened by the most amiable and condescending affability. Every body had free access to him: and very few, who had been once admitted to his conversation, were so lost to virtue and the fine feelings, as not to love and admire him.

On one occasion, indeed, his lordship experienced, for a time, the iron hand of savage insult and oppression. I shall relate the circumstances, first, in the words of another; and then add some additional particulars, exactly as they were related to me by a person of high rank, who is still alive, and who well remembers the whole transaction.

"The person who was governor of Man, from 1713 to 1723, having a difference with his lordship, about some matters of right, which the bishop conscientiously denied to give up; that ruler stretched forth the hand of power, and committed his diocesan to the damp and gloomy prison of Castle-Rushin: where he remained many weeks, until the affair was determined, by king George I.

and his privy council, in favour of the bishop.This treatment of their patron and benefactor so affected the Manks, that they came from all parts of the island, to Castle-Town, at least once every week, to express their concern about him; and, with tears and lamentations, kneeling down before the castle walls, they had their pious pastor's prayers and blessings from the grated loop-hole *."

What was communicated to me, by the noble person above mentioned, is as follows. After the good bishop had been a considerable time in confinement, his hard usage was reported (seemingly by accident) to one of the two Turks, whom king George I. then retained about his person. The honest Mahometan gave his majesty an account of the unmerited severities, under which the pious prelate laboured: and the king ordered his lordship to repair to London, and stand on his defence against the allegations of the governor. The bishop was soon acquitted, on being heard; and, the next court day, attended the royal levee, to thank his majesty for the equity that had been shown him. His appearance, in the drawing-room, struck every body with veneration and surprize. He came, in his usual manner, very simply habited; with his grey locks, a small black cap on the crown of his head, and leather thongs in his shoes; which last he constantly wore, in lieu of buckles. A number of English bishops were in the circle; but the king, passing by them all, walked up to the bishop of Man, and, taking him by the hand, said, My lord, I beg your prayers:" laying a particular emphasis on the word your.-Nor must the disinterestedness of the worthy Turk be forgot. A near relation of the bishop's pressed the generous mussulman to accept of 50 guineas, as a testimony of that person's gratitude for the kind services he had rendered to the suffering prelate: but no arguments

* Biogr. Britan. vol. 7. Supplem. p. 199.