74 LIVE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



a civil case, which he had made use of in his 

 argument, was a thing easy to be remembered, 

 and yet liable to be diversified according to the 

 humour of the relators. 



And the last sentences in the sermon, concern- 

 ing those who depart from the Church of Eng- 

 land and embrace Popery, might be construed 

 as a reflection on the King, whose case that was, 

 as Bishop Burnet well observes. But the chief 

 thing that seems to have occasioned the infor- 

 mations at court, and given them countenance 

 there, was a mistaken notion of several of the 

 Doctor's auditors, that the paper which he un- 

 dertook to refute was the same that had been 

 found in the late king's strong box; and that 

 he had attacked, and seemed to triumph over 

 that very argument which was thought to be, 

 in the judgment of his late majesty, invinci- 

 ble. All this indeed was a mistake : but not- 

 withstanding it quickly spread in the town, and 

 no wonder if the report was carried to the King 

 himself. In fine, it was represented to the 

 court as if the Doctor had endeavoured, by 

 that sermon, to shew his contempt of the King's 

 late orders concerning preachers, to foment 

 divisions among his Majesty's subjects, and to 

 reflect upon his Majesty's person as well as 

 government. 



" The information," says Bishop Burnet^ ** as 



