LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 25 



charge his lordship laid upon him, with so much 

 solemnity." 



Thus far Mr. Nelson. 



But his lordship did not so strictly keep to 

 this rule as in no case to depart from it ; for, in 

 1675, (while he was yet Lord Keeper) he dis- 

 posed of three preferments in one year upon 

 his own judgment, without receiving the recom- 

 mendation, or taking the advice of his chaplain; 

 and these were upon the chaplain himself. The 

 first was a prebend of Norwich ; the second 

 was the living of St. Bartholomew's Exchange, 

 vacant by the promotion of Dr. Bridoake to 

 Chichester ; at whose consecration, Mr. Sharp 

 preached in Lambeth chapel *. He was insti- 

 tuted into this benefice by Bishop Henchman, 

 but held it a very short time ; for the rectory 

 of St. Giles's in the Fields, (which was the 

 third) becoming soon vacant by the death of 

 Dr. Boreman, my Lord Keeper insisted upon 

 his taking that. Each of these favours were 

 accompanied with further marks of kindness ; 

 for his lordship would not suffer him to pay 

 the seal fees for the two former ; and when 

 he gave him the last, he did it with this 

 farther promise, that if St. Martin's in the 



* April 18th, 1675. — At the consecration of Doctor Ralph 

 Bridoake to Chichester, and Doctor William Lloyd toLlandafF; 

 by Archbishops Sheldon and Stern, and Bishop Gunning. 



