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Nothing exists in the Abbey to recail the Bishop to the 
minds of the present generation, nor is any book by him to 
be found in the Abbey Library, although it was founded soon 
after his time and when fresh editions of his works were being 
issued. The only connection between him and Bath that I 
have been able to discover is a grant (Dom. series, James I., 
1622, Page 415) to George Webbe in reversion after Robert 
Rustat of the office of Keeper of St. Mary Magdalene’s 
Hospital, near Bath, which reversion is surrendered by John 
Palmer Groom of the Chambers, which is followed (Dom. 
Series 1638, September 14th, Page 12) by Petition of Edmund 
Proby, D.D., to Archbishop Laud :— 
The King referred to you the petition of Theophilus 
Webb, who had a patent for the Hospital of St. Mary 
Magdalene, Bath, who petitioned the King to grant the 
mastership of the said Hospital to petitioner. Petitioner 
presenting himself, you inquired how the poor should 
have better relief than formerly ? Petitioner assures 
you ‘“‘in verbo sacerdotis”’ that he will, as estates fall 
in, double their yearly revenues and give [them] part of 
the profits arising to the present master and until estates 
fall in petitioner will give them a yearly contribution out 
of his own means, and will labour to do them all the good 
he can. If you think petitioner worthy of the place, he 
will acknowledge your favour therein. 
This is all that remains to us of the history of one of the 
most persuasive preachers of the day, another George Herbert, 
not a poet, although in some of his sentences we can see a 
trace of the quaint diction of Spenser and Sidney. 
Contrast him with those two turbulent spirits with whom he 
must so often have been in contact—Laud and Prynne. 
The fiery diatribes of the one, the despotic manner of the 
other, are the very opposite of the “‘ Practise of Quietness,” 
and yet the first two are as household words, while of 
the other all has been forgotten. Suffer me then to 
disentomb one of the works, in the hope it may receive better 
notice. 
George Webbe’s most remarkable work was his sermon on the 
“Practise of Quietness,’’ which passed through at least ten 
editions. The title page of the seventh edition is worthy of 
being copied. It is as follows :— 
