4 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SANCROFT. 



ters,* written during the period of his retirement, 

 have been preserved, which convey to us the 

 knowledge of his temper, feelings, and habits, 

 at the time ; and that we also possess an ac- 

 count of his last sickness and death,t which, 

 though coming, no doubt, from a partial hand, 

 still bears every mark of faithfulness ; and af- 

 fords some very interesting particulars respect- 

 ing his behaviour, at the very close of his life. 



He arrived at Fresingfield from London, as 

 has been stated, on the 5th of August, 1691. 

 Two days afterwards, Mr. Wharton, his chap- 

 lain, waited on him, and found him, as he ex- 

 presses it, pleasant and very well. It appears, 

 that, in contemplation of his retiring to his na- 

 tive spot, the Archbishop had been employed 

 from the early part of this year, in building a 

 residence for himself, at the end of the garden 

 belonging to the old residence of the family, 

 This new house was as yet in an unfinished state, 

 and was not fit for his reception till the follow- 

 ing summer. 



Of the following letters, addressed to his 

 friend. Sir H. North, the first, as appears from 



* See Familiar Letters to Sir H. North. 



t See a Letter out of Suffolk to a friend in London, gi\'ing 

 some account of tlie last sickness and death of Archbishop San- 

 croft. London, 1694, Supposed to be written by an eminent 

 nonjuror, Mr. Thomas Wagstaff'e. 



