84 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



vour which the rest of your Clergy enjoy under 

 your Majesty's gracious government. 



** So shall your petitioner ever pray," &c. 



With this and the Bishop of London's letter, 

 the Doctor went the next day, being Saturday, 

 June 19, to Hampton Court, where a council was 

 held, and the King present. He delivered the 

 Bishop's letter to the Lord Sunderland, who only 

 asked him '' whether the Bishop had obeyed 

 the order ?" He told him, No. And that was 

 all that passed between them. As for the pe- 

 tition, the Doctor could not get it received ; 

 but waited there till the council broke up, and 

 all the members were gone ; and then returned 

 to town with the Lord Nottingham, who had 

 carried him thither. 



Had the Bishop's letter to the Lord President 

 been taken notice of, and Dr. Sharp's petition 

 been received and read, the matter might well 

 have ended here ; but the silencing of the Doctor 

 was not so much the thing intended. The cen- 

 sure was evidently levelled more at the Bishop 

 of London than at the Doctor ; and having got 

 hereby some handle against his lordship, the 

 court seized the opportunity, and seemed de- 

 terrhined to make all the advantages they could 

 of it. But as yet it did not appear where the 

 storm was most likely to fall, Dr. Sharp was 



