LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SANCROFT. 99 



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And, as to his MSS., he was pleased to declare, that, he 

 not having got them into that order he designed, they were his 

 chiefest care and concern he had in this world not yet fixed as 

 he could wish. He seemed to hope fof strength enough to re- 

 view them, and order them himself^ and did not, (as I remem- 

 ber,) name any person to whom he would commit that trust, in 

 case himself were prevented by death. Yet thus much he told 

 me, that such of his papers as related to general learning, copies 

 of records, and extracts, (of which he had many,) and tran- 

 scripts of pieces which were scarce and curious, which he had 

 got together when he travelled, should all go to the College. 

 And, for the rest, I don't remember that he declared his inten- 

 tions. This was in September, whilst I was with him. But, 

 before the end of the next month, Mr. Wharton went to pay 

 his duty. And I remember, when I met him at London, in his 

 way towards Norfolk and Suffolk, he told me, (upon my relat- 

 ing to him what I now tell you concerning his Grace's MSS.) 

 that his Grace had heretofore told him, that they should all be 

 left to him : and then his Grace gave him a gi'eat many of his 

 papers of great concern and value (as he wrote to me) and or- 

 dered him to return to him again at a month's end, if he heard 

 he lived so long j which accordingly he did : and then (as he 

 wrote in the letter which acquainted me with his Grace's death) 

 my Lord carried him to see his papers, bidding him take away 

 at that time what he would of them, promising to leave orders 

 that, after his death, he should have whatever he would of them. 

 This was a full and unquestionable declaration as to his MSS. 

 and the good man was so confident of the effect of it (this being 

 but two days, if I reckon right, before his Grace's translation, 

 for so I must call his departure from us) as to content himself 

 with looking but perfunctorily over them, and taking away with 

 him only a few of them at that time. 



" It grieves me to tell you that he quickly found his error 5 

 it being now made a question whether he shall have them or 



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