and the three succeeding monarchs, and that he died
in the forty-first year of Elizabeth. "This man was twice a Protestant
and twice a Papist; and when reproached for the unsteadiness of his
principles, which could thus suffer him to veer with every change of
administration, replied, 'that he had always governed himself by what
he thought a very laudable principle, which was, never on any terms,
if he could avoid it, to part with his vicarage." This creed has been
amplified into a song, which we shall quote presently, more for its
being a good conceite than for its scarceness.
The author just quoted from the _Beauties_ observes, in a
note--"Several late writers, particularly Ireland and Ferrar, who have
mentioned the above circumstances, describe them as happening in the
reign of Charles the Second, James the Second, &c. This mistake throws
the imputation of apostacy on the worthy person who held the vicarage
towards the conclusion of the 17th century. It should be remarked, that
the story was first published by Fuller, in his Church History; and as
the author died in the year 1661, it is evident that it must have been
circulated previous to that event.
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