138 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



Then, as to the Archbishop's other enquiry, 

 yiz. into the qualifications and behaviour of his 

 clergy, as it was wholly designed for his own 

 information and use, so it was very cautiously 

 and privately prosecuted. 



And whatever notices he received about them, 

 with which he feared to trust his memory, and 



with a generous offer from Mrs. Torr, the widow, of her hus- 

 band's MSS. as a present. But the Archbishop, after proper 

 acknowledgments made of her kind intentions and obliging 

 offer, told Mr. Drake then, and afterwards repeated it by let- 

 ter, that it would not be right in him to accept of them gratis. 

 But if she would likewise accept of a present from him (which 

 he named,) and could not dispose of them to more advantage 

 (for he would not be an hindrance to her making the best of 

 them) ; he would, on this condition, accept them from her. 

 A copy of the Archbishop's letter to Mr. Drake, which is 

 wholly on this subject, will be found entire in the Appendix I. 

 No. 4. 



Mrs. Torr having kept the MSS. near twelve months after 

 this letter was wrote, and finding she could not dispose of 

 them better, sent them to the Archbishop, mho gave her more 

 than he had promised her for them, though they were of little 

 use to himself then, having some years before extracted from 

 them all that he wanted. 



This may be sufficient to clear up, in good measure, this 

 " inscrutable affair ;" and perhaps to the satisfaction of the 

 Author of the Antiquities, &c. who hath expressed so much 

 respect, both to the Archbishop and his executors, in his short 

 remonstrance of an insufficient compensation to Mr. Torr's 

 family, that it cannot be doubted he will be pleased to see them, 

 stand clear of all blame in this matter. 



