236^ LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



that might be created upon this dispute with 

 the doctor, when he should come down with 

 the royal mandate, was so prudent as to apprise 

 the Archbishop very early with his difficulty, 

 and with his resolutions thereupon, viz. not to 

 give institution ; but withal expressing himself 

 willing that the whole thing should be referred 

 to him as metropolitan, first begging his private 

 opinion and advice in the case, which he desired 

 his Grace to signify either to himself or to Dr. 

 Atterbury, which alone might possibly settle the 

 controversy between them; but, if that could 

 not be done, the dernier resort should be to his 

 Grace's sentence; who should be final judge of all 

 controversies between them. And thus the pre- 

 sent matter in dispute would be brought to a 

 legal and authoritative decision. 



To this the Archbishop answered as follows. 



« August 28, 1704. 



" My Lord, 



'* I have perused your last, and I 

 have likewise several times read over those three 

 or four pages you refer to in Dr. Atterbury 's 

 book. I must confess to you, whether it be my 

 own dulness, or that I am naturally inclined to 

 put a favourable construction upon an author's 

 expressions, till I be warned that there is some 

 ill meaning in them, that I might have read 



