298 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



their books, February 27, 1695. He was like- 

 wise one of the bishops who, about that time, 

 joined in publishing a declaration concerning 

 the irregular and scandalous proceedings of three 

 non-juring clergymen, at the execution of Sir 

 John Friend and Sir William Perkins (an ac- 

 count of this was published in quarto, printed 

 for John Everingham). In a word, he told the 

 Earl of Portland, in a letter the year after the 

 attainder of Sir John Fenwick (in which he 

 recommended Mr. H. Finch to the King's fa- 

 vour for the deanery of York, then vacant by 

 the death of Dr. Wickham, but without suc- 

 cess), ** that he had never, he believed, done any 

 thing that might give his Majesty occasion of dis- 

 pleasure ; and as I do every day (said he), pray to 

 God for his Majesty's health and success in all his 

 affairs, so do I desire to live no longer than I do 

 uprightly and cojiscientiously endeavour, to the utmost 



not explained. Bishop Burnet says (vol. II. p. 169), great ex- 

 ceptions overe now taken to it, as not of evangelical sound. His 

 Lordship must mean, that it seemed to interfere, in its natural 

 or obvious import, with a Gospel duty. For, in any other 

 sense, it would have been a trifling exception indeed. The 

 resolution at last was, that it should be meant in a legal sense, 

 either in tlie prosecution of justice at home, or of war abroad, 

 with which the Archbishop was well satisfied ; not troubling 

 himself, either about the obvious and natural import of the 

 word, or the evangelical sound of it, after this legal meaning of 

 it was once fixed and ascertained. 



