418 LIFE OF AUCIIBISHOP SHARP. 



with the disposition of the King of Prussia and 

 his courtiers and his divines ; and Mr. Hales, a 

 gentleman well known by the Protestants abroad, 

 and who was thought to understand the general 

 state of their affairs in all the kingdoms of Eu- 

 rope. This gentleman had been before pitched 

 upon, and recommended to her Majesty as a 

 person proper to be employed in her name 

 abroad for the good of Protestantism, and to 

 solicit for the relief of the distressed churches in 

 France and the Palatinate, and in Silesia, &c. 

 And he had drawn up a memorial or scheme of 

 the services that might be done to the Protes- 

 tants abroad. With this Mr. Hales he consulted 

 November 28, and promised him to lay his memorial 

 and the Queen of Poland her letter to him before 

 Mr. Harley, then at the head of the court in- 

 terest, which he afterwards duly and said to Mr. 

 Harley what he thought proper to engage him in 

 the service of these excellent designs ; for with- 

 out his concurrence it would have seemed a vain 

 attempt, at that time of day, to meddle with 

 foreign affairs. 



On l^ovember 30ih he spoke hi77iself to the Queen 

 about the Prussian affair ; and at the same time de- 

 sired that the Convocation might sit to do business, 

 this being, as he thought, a matter upoji which they 

 might be very usefully employed . And this brought 

 on those meetings at the Bishop of Rochester's, 



