LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 265 



pressed some disaffection to the government ; he 

 reprimanded them publicly at his visitation (in 

 1693), telling them, *' How unaccountable a 

 thing it was, that any person who had already 

 taken an oath of allegiance to their present 

 Majesties, should refuse to pray for them, espe- 

 cially in such a cause, where, if they had any 

 kindness or regard either to their religion, or 

 to the nation, or to their own private interests, 

 they could not but wish well to it, though they 

 had taken no such oath. That as for those, 

 whether clergy or others, who were dissatisfied 

 upon pure principles of conscience, and behaved 

 themselves modestly and peaceably, keeping 

 their sentiments to themselves, and giving no 

 disturbance to the public, he had as hearty a 

 tenderness and compassion for all such as was 

 possible. But as for those who had given tes- 

 timony that it was not against their conscience 

 to own the present government, and who had 

 solemnly obliged themselves by oath to live dutifully 

 under it, yet, out of a factious or petulant hu- 

 mour, would take all the occasions they could 

 of running it down, he thought their case was 

 widely different from that of the former, and 

 that they ought to be animadverted upon. And, 

 for his own part, so far as any of their offences 

 of this kind fell under his cognizance, he should 

 think himself obliged to take notice of them." 



