1674.] THE OCTOBER MEETING. 



319 



cerning the races. On the 8th of that month the Duke 

 of Monmouth, who was at Newmarket in attendance 

 on the Court, wrote to the Vice-Chancellor 

 of the University of Cambridge stating °''*°^^''- 

 the king's displeasure at the clergy wearing their 

 hair and perukes of unusual and unbecomino- leno-th 

 The practise of reading sermons was ordered to be 

 discontinued, and in future the preachers were com- 

 manded to deliver their sermons both in Latin and 

 English " by memory or without books." Similar 

 orders were conveyed to the Vice-Chancellor and 

 University of Oxford and their " loving friend and 

 Chancellor " had no doubt his behests would be 

 obeyed.* Truly a curious proof of the king exercisino- 

 his divine functions as Defender of the Faith ! 



As a curious commentary on the preceding occurrence 

 the king asked Bishop Stillingfleet, " how it came to pass, 

 that he always read his sermons before him, when, he was 

 informed, he always preached without book elsewhere ? " 

 To which he replied, that " the awe of so noble an audience 

 where he saw nothing that was not greatly superior to him ; 

 but chiefly, the seeing before him so great and so wise a prince, 

 made him afraid to trust himself," With which answer the 

 king was very well contented. " But pray," says Stiilino-- 

 fleet, " will your Majesty give me leave to ask you a question 

 too ? Why do you read your speeches in parliament, where 

 you can have none of the same reasons ? " " Why, truly, 

 Doctor," responded the king, " your question is a very per- 

 tinent one, and so will be my answer. I have asked them so 

 often, and for so much money, that I am ashamed to look 

 them in the face." f 



* State Papers, Dom., bundle 350, No. 362. 

 t " Richardsoniana," p. 91. 



