that five years ago, I took a little soil there, I could accept of it, if her majesty will, and it be no trouble to your honour to speak to her highness for it. But I leave it to your sage direction. The other petition is of somewhat less pains. The reverend and learned man, Dr. Rainolds, who, as I think, hath greatly hindered all his own and our religion, is now, I think, in London; with whom, if I might talk but two words, before your lordship, a pacification, as I judge, might be made. I would demand what one word of my book he dare blame, with any colour of reason; and shew that if his course had not been stayed, be offered advantage to turn all the sway of the Bible against him. By open speech it may best be declared. Your honour best knoweth your own leisure. So I commend both the causes to yourself, and your health to God. London, May 16, 1595. "Your lordship's to command, "HUGH BROUGHTON." It does not appear what answer Mr. Broughton received to this letter; but he certainly failed of gaining the object of his former petition, if not of the latter also. His second return to England was at the time when the plague was in London. His old friends were much surprised to see him in a season of so much affliction. He was particularly cheerful and happy, and not the least afraid of the distemper. His conversation very much savoured of the kingdom of God, and he spoke upon divine subjects greatly to their edification. In the year 1603, he preached before Prince Henry at Oatlands. He did not, however, continue long in his native country, but went abroad a third time, and was chosen preacher to the English congregation at Middleburg. During his abode at this place, he sent a curious petition to King James, now of England, requesting the favour of a pension, as the reward of his manifold labours and sufferings; of which the following is a copy :* "Most gracious Sovereign. "Your majesty's most humble subject, Hugh Broughton, having suffered many years danger for publishing your right and God's truth, by your unlearned bishops, who spent two impressions of libels to disgrace their Scottish mist; which libels their stationers deny that ever they sold. He requesteth your majesty's favour for a pension * Harleian MSS. No. 787. fit for his age, study, and past travels, bearing always a most dutiful heart to your majesty. From Middleburg, Aug. 1604. "Your most humble servant, "HUGH BROUGHTON." While our divine was at Middleburg, besides the care of his congregation, he published his smart discourse against Archbishop Bancroft, and sent the whole impression to Mr. William Cotton, younger brother to Sir Rowland Cotton, living in London; with a request, if he dare venture, to deliver a copy into the hands of the archbishop. Mr. Cotton was not without apprehension of danger; yet he could not well deny Mr. Broughton's request. Therefore, he waited upon the archbishop, and, after making the requisite apology, delivered a copy of the book into his hands, politely asking pardon for his great boldness, Though his grace treated him with all the civility that could have been desired, he was no sooner dismissed than the archbishop's officers came to his lodgings, seized all the books they could find, and carried them away. This was Bancroft's short and easy method of refuting the arguments of his learned opponent!"* Mr. Broughton having a complaint settled on his lungs, and being desirous of dying in his own country, returned at length the third and last time to England. In the month of November, 1611, he landed at Gravesend; and upon his arrival in London, told his friends that he was come to die in his native country; and if it was the will of God, he wished to die in Shropshire, his native county. Therefore, Sir Rowland Cotton, formerly his pupil, provided suitable accommodations for him, at his house in Shropshire. Herein, however, both the pupil and the tutor were disappointed. He continued in London during the winter, and in the following spring removed to a suitable situation in the vicinity. During his confinement under affliction, Mr. Broughton gave his friends many pious and profitable exhortations. He often urged them to observe practical religion, saying, "Study your Bible. Labour for the salvation of one "another. Be peaceable. Meddle with your own matters. "Some judgment will come upon this kingdom. Never "fear popery: It will never overflow the land. But the "course which the bishops take will fill the land with * Clark's Lives, p. 6. "atheism. Meddle not in the quarrel." As he drew near his end, he said, "Satan hath assaulted me: but the Son of "God hath rebuked him, and spoken comfortable words to "my soul." A little before his departure, he became speechless: yet his friends asking whether they should pray with him, he signified his warmest approbation by lifting up both his hands. Soon after the prayer was ended, he breathed his last, August 4, 1612, aged sixty-three years. His remains were interred in St. Autholin's church, London, with great funeral solemnity; and his funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Speght, from John xi. 8; but the bishops would not allow it to be printed.* Mr. Broughton was an indefatigable student, and a most celebrated scholar, which rendered his temper too austere; yet, to his friends, his spirit was sweet, affable, and affec tionate. He was bold and severe in opposing all error and impiety, and would sharply reprove them, whatever it cost him. He was free and communicative to all who wished to learn; but sometimes offended when his scholars did not understand him, accounting it a shame to live in ignorance.+ As a writer, his style is rather harsh and obscure. He appears too vain and too severe against his opponents. But when it is recollected what kind of treatment he met with; how he was tossed to and fro, and often obliged to remove from one place to another, it will not appear surprizing, that so great a scholar sometimes forgot himself. Upon his death-bed, he confessed and lamented his infirmity. In his writings, adds our author, the impartial reader will find as much light thrown upon the scriptures, especially the most difficult passages, as can be found in any other author whatever; and they carry in them so happy a fascination, that the serious reader is constrained, by a sort of holy violence, to search the sacred scriptures.+ This learned divine has been reproached with great * Clark's Lives, p. 6, 7. + This was exemplified in the following anecdote.-While Mr. Broughton was at Mentz in Germany, a young man of the name of Morton, from England, came to him continually, asking him questions, and receiving instructions. When the young pupil understood not his answers, but desired further explanation, Mr. Broughton would be angry, and call him dull and unlearned. Upon this, when Morton asked him any question, he used pleasantly to say, "I pray you, whatsoever dolts or dullards I am to be called, call me so before we begin, that your discourse and mine attention be not interrupted:" which, it is said, Mr. Broughton took as pleasantly from him. This person, it is added, was afterwards the famous Dr. Morton, bishop of Durham.—Ibid. p. 6, Ibid. p. 7, 8. severity by some of our historians; and by none with greater rancour than by Mr. William Gilpin.* This writer says, "that Mr. Broughton acted the basest and most "ungrateful part towards Mr. Bernard Gilpin, who had "educated and maintained him, both at school and the "university. He was vile enough to endeavour to sup"plant the very patron who had raised him up." If Mr. Broughton really acted in the manner here represented, it would be difficult to censure him with too much severity: but, we think, there is no sufficient evidence for the charges alleged; at least Mr. Gilpin hath not produced it; and it seems hardly just to bring such black charges against a man without some substantial proof. Bishop Carlton, the first writer by whom any accusation appears to be brought against Mr. Broughton, speaks of his exciting the Bishop of Durham against Bernard Gilpin merely as a report; and, if this report were true, though there is no proof alleged, it seems very doubtful whether he was excited to it from a design of obtaining Gilpin's living. 1 Mr. Gilpin says of Broughton, " that London was the scene where he first exposed himself. Here, for some time, he paid a servile court to the vulgar, in the capacity of a popular preacher." But of this we can meet with no evidence. Indeed, servility to persons of any class, does not appear to have been any part of Mr. Broughton's character; and the charge, we think, is sufficiently refuted in the foregoing narrative, as collected from the most authentic records. Mr. Gilpin says, that Broughton had "lived out all his credit, and became even the jest of the stage." It is certain, as our author observes, that he was satirized on the stage. But a man's being ridiculed in a dramatic exhibition, is no proof of his having out-lived either his credit or his friends; nor does this appear to have been the case, but the contrary, with Mr. Broughton.+ He also says, "Broughton was, indeed, famous in his time, and as a man of letters esteemed by many, but in every other respect despicable." The numerous authentic testimonies given in the foregoing narrative, afford a sufficient refutation of this charge. The learned Dr. Lightfoot, who wrote Mr. Broughton's life, declares himself a mere child in comparison of this great master of Hebrew and * Gilpin's Life of Bernard Gilpin, p. 233, 234, 293, 300. Edit. 1780. + Biographia Britannica, vol. ii. p. 605-610. rabbinical learning. Mr. Strype declares that he was one of the greatest scholars in Christendom, in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and all Talmudical literature.+ Most of his works were collected and printed in London, in 1662, with his life prefixed by Dr. Lightfoot, entitled, "The Works of the great Albionean Divine, renowned in many Nations for rare Skill in Salems and Athens Tongues, and familiar Acquaintance with all Rabbinical Learning, Mr. Hugh Broughton." This edition of his works, though bound in one large volume folio, is divided into four tomes. Towards the last tome is Mr. Broughton's funeral sermon by Mr. Speght, in which the preacher says, "Touching the fruit of his sowing, viz. his private reading in the time, and with the approbation of the reverend and learned Bishop Aylmer; and of his public preaching in Christ's church, in St. Peter's, and in my church; how many are there (yea some alive) who may thank God daily, that ever they knew and heard him? For myself, I confess, and profess so much, and shall ever do so whilst I breathe."+ There are many of Mr. Broughton's manuscripts, in his own hand, still preserved in the British Museum. Some of them are the literary productions of his pen; others relate to the controversies in which he engaged; and the rest are miscellaneous. These, in all thirty-five, are bound in one volume quarto. There is also his manuscript "Harmony of the Bible." WILLIAM BURTON, A. B.-This pious minister was born in the city of Winchester, and educated first at Wickham school, then in New College, Oxford, where he was chosen fellow. He was afterwards beneficed in the city of Norwich, where Sir William Perryman, afterwards lord chief baron, a worthy religious person, and a great promoter of christian piety, was his great friend and patron. In 1583, his name is among the Norfolk divines, above sixty in all, who scrupled subscription to Whitgift's three articles. Whether, on account of his nonconformity, he felt the iron hand of the archbishop, by suspension, deprivation, or imprisonment, as was the case with many of his brethren, * British Biography, vol. iii. p. 120. + Strype's Annals, vol. ii. p. 612. Sloane's MSS. No. 3088. IMS. Register, p. 436. Biog. Britan. vol. ii. p. 612, |