THOMAS KEN AND IZAAK WALTON 6i 



a Latitudinarian Traditour imposed on them, 

 who would betray y° baptismall faith, but one 

 who had ability and zeal to effect it ; and the 

 imminent danger in which religion now is, and 

 which dayly increases, ought to supersede all 

 y" antient canons. I am so disabled by 

 rheumatik and colick pains, y' I cannot in 

 conscience returne to a public station, were I 

 restored ; and I think now ought to excuse 

 me, if in such perillous times I desire a coad- 

 jutor, for w^ I have good precidents, as well as 

 motives. It is not y* first time I dissented 

 from some of my brethren, and never saw 

 cause to repent it. The ladys send you their 

 duty. God keep us in his holy feare. 



"Your Lordshipp's most affect' friend 

 and B', 



" Ken.i 

 " Bath, November i8." 



■ In another letter, written shortly afterwards, he says : 

 " The Storme, on Friday night, which was most violent, I 

 mentioned in my last, but I then did not know what hap- 

 pened at Wells, which was much shattered, and the part of 

 the palace where Dr. Kidder and his wife lay, was blown 

 down in the night, and they were both killed and buried in 

 the ruins, and dug out towards morning. It happened the 

 very day of the Clothe-fair when all the county were spec- 

 tators of the deplorable calamity." 



