in the pulpit, and his ministry was attended with great success; his people, who were before very ignorant and profane, being reformed, and many of them becoming truly

serious.

WORKS. The Saint's Encouragement; shewing how to ease our troubled Hearts by believing in God and in Jesus Christ.

STOKE-FLEMMING [R. S. 2001.] WILLIAM BAILEY, M. A. Of New Col. Oxf. He was born of a very good and genteel family, at Ashlington, near Devizes. After a liberal education in the country, he was sent young to Oxford, where he made considerable improvements in learning. When he quitted the university, his father would have purchased a good living for him; but he would by no means admit of it, as judging such traffic unlawful. Before the civil war he was three years chaplain to Lord Roberts, who always treated him with singular respect. He married a niece of Mr. F. Rous, provost of Eton. He was first settled at Tamerton, near Plymouth; but the war breaking out soon after, he was so threatened by the neighbouring cavaliers, that he was forced, under many difficulties, to retire with his family to London by water. There he got a good living about fifteen miles from the city, and continued in it a year, when he was persuaded by some members of parliament to accept of the sequestered living of StokeFlemming, which he did, to his own injury; for Nicols, Esq. of Cornwal (his wife's cousin-german) offered him at the same time a mort-living, which was in his gift, of 300l. per ann. and was displeased with him for refusing his kindness. He was induced to give Stoke-Flemming the preference, by the pressing solicitations of his pious wife, who knew the miserable state of that parish, which being overrun with ignorance and profaneness, wanted such a minister. There he continued discharging the duties of his office with great fidelity till the Restoration, being generally respected and beloved by the parishioners, and particularly by some of very different sentiments from his own: insomuch that upon the turn of the times, Mr. T. Southeot, a leading man, tho' a high cavalier, would fain have persuaded Mr. Bailey to conform, as the fittest man for that place; and would have engaged, upon that condition, for his continuance in it.

3

When his more stated labours were at an end, he did not lead an idle inactive life, but readily assisted his neighbourIng brethren till August, 1662. when he was wholly silenced.

lenced. He afterwards grew melancholy, and was seized with a palsy, which held him to his death, Nov. 23, 1672. He was a grave solid divine, a hard student, of uncommon learning, great ministerial abilities, a most judicious preacher, and eminent for his meekness, humility and patience, under all his sufferings. Dr. Walker lays several things to his charge, which are confuted by Dr. Calamy (Contin. p. 277.) Mrs. Burnegham, Mr. Bailey's aunt, by the mother's side, was at the expence of educating the famous Abp. Laud, as he himself, when at the height of his preferment, frankly and gratefully acknowledged, On this account Mr. Bailey might have expected some little favor from that prelate, but found none.

TALLATON [R. 32l, 25. 91d.] ROBERT COLLINS, M. A. After his ejectment he lived at Ottery St. Mary, where he had an estate of about 100l. per ann. He was much respected by the good people of the town and the places adjacent, who usually attended on his ministry in the public church, and were now desirous to enjoy it in a more private way. He preached therefore in his own house, between the morning and afternoon service; and usually, with his family, attended the public worship in the afternon. He lived very peaceably till the Conventicle-act took place but then his house was surrounded, on the Lord's-day, (Sept. 1670) with the officers, and the vilest rabble of the town; who not daring to break open the doors till they had got a warrant from a neighbouring justice, kept the congregation prisoners till night, when the warrant came. When the doors were opened, he and the people were uncivilly treated, both by the gentlemen and the mob. Getting the names of whom they pleased, and taking some into custody, warrants were issued out for levying 20l. on Mr. Collins for preaching, 20l. for his house, and 5s, on each of the hearers, tho' there was no proof that there was any preaching or praying at all. Tho' they fined Mr. Collins 20l. for his house, yet it deserves a remark, that there was no person found there, but in a neighbour's house adjoining. After this followed much other business of the same kind, in this neighbourhood: breaking open of houses and shops, taking away goods and wares; forcing open gates, driving off cattle, and exposing them to sale, for the raising of the fines. Many were deprived of what they could ill spare from their families.

Some

Some time after this, when there was no service in the public church, Mr. Collins ventured again to open his doors to all that would come. But a warrant was soon procured from Sir Peter Prideaux for apprehending him; and he, with several others, were brought before Sir Peter, who treated them with great inhumanity, calling Mr. Collins a minister of the devil, and using other scurrilous language; and when Mr. Collins offered to reply, threatened him with a jail, interlacing his words with oaths and curses. When the witnesses were examined, they affirmed, that on such a Lord'sday, they heard Mr. Collins preach or pray, but were not certain which it was. On Saturday, Oct. 1, the officers came with a warrant to levy 40l. on him, for which they drove away sixteen bullocks out of his ground. After this he appealed from the justice to the quarter-sessions, and the record being produced and read (not till the third sessions) an error was found in it; which was, That Mr. Collins was convicted of" Teaching, or preaching, or praying," but of neither, positively or certainly. His counsel insisted much on this, and Sir T. Carew being the chairman, said he thought it a fundamental error, and that he could not in judgment or conscience pass it over. All seemed inclined to relieve Mr. Collins except some few justices, one of whom said, "That Presbyterian preaching and praying was all one; for they in their prayers would undertake to teach almighty God." Mr. Isaac, counsel for the prosecutor, prayed the bench to call for a dictionary, and said, there they would find that prædicare and orare were the same. This business was discussd more or less several days. Mr. Collins in the mean time was assured that, if he would submit to the court, he should have favor. His friends ad vised him by all means to subinit, and accordingly he did so. Upon which, some of the court smiled, and muttered, "Now he has withdrawn his appeal, and confessed himself guilty; which could hot have been proved against him; so that he is at our mercy." After this, not a word passed in his favor, so that he was left to pay the whole; and they put 20l. more upon him, as treble costs for his unjust appeal.

On Aug. 20, 1675, there being no service in the parish church, many considerable inhabitants of Ottery, desired Mr. Collins to preach there, but he refused, and preached at his own house near it, which was a large handsome building, where persons of all ranks and persuasions thronged to hear him, both morning and afternoon. About five weeks after,

some

some poor men of the town were sent for by justice Hayden ; and being threatened and flattered, against their consciences convicted Mr. Collins and several others of a conventicle, on the 5th of September. Whereas there was no meeting at all that day, but the persons convicted were at church. However 20l. was laid upon Mr. Collins, and levied on his goods; 10l. on W. Ledgingham, Esq. for persons unable and unknown; gl. 155. on Mr. M. Streatchleigh; 57. on Mr. Farrington, for being an officer and knowing of a meeting, but not discovering it, when there was none at all that month. Many lesser sums were laid and levied on other persons, some of whom appealed, and proved they were at no meeting that day, but at church and yet they had treble costs laid upon them for their appeal. The money, thus levied, never appeared to have been applied as the act directed.

On Aug. 20, 1679, Mr. Hayden with several officers, upon suspicion of a meeting at Mr. Collins's house, came and broke open his gates and doors, entered his house, and made a strict search, but found nobody there to make a meeting however, finding afterwards that some had been there, they got the names of twenty-three persons, and at the next sessions indicted them for a riot, or unlawful assembly, at Mr. Collins's house: and tho' these persons were all in one indictment, for one pretended offence, and some of them men and their wives, yet the clerk of the peace made them pay distinct fees; but this was removed by a certiorari.On May 15, 1681, Mr. Hayden with several officers, but upon mere suspicion, beset Mr. Collins's house, and demanded entrance; but being denied, broke first the great gate, and then the door of the house. Upon search, they found only three persons, of whom they could make no conviction; but Mr. Collins had no recompence for the damage. he sustained. On May 25, 1681, as he and his wife were attending a funeral on horseback, a constable by a warrant from Mr. Hayden, seized them both; but at length let his wife go, and carried him to the constable's house, and kepthim there under guard night and day, from Wednesday to Friday; when he was brought before Mr. Hayden, and had the corporation oath tendered. Upon his refusing it, Mr, Hayden sent him to the high jail (tho' 1000l. bail was offered) where he lay six months with the common pri soners; one of whom there was ground to hope that he was an instrument in converting, who was condemned to be executed.

In

In 1682, Mr. Collins was convicted for two months absence from church, for which 167. was levied on his goods ; and the bailiff had 57. more for taking distress. He was also often prosecuted in the ecclesiastical courts, for his Nonconformity, for fifteen years together; for not bringing his children to public baptisin, nor receiving the sacrament, &c. for which he was excommunicated, and had a capias issued out against him. He was likewise frequently indicted at the assizes and the sessions, upon the statute of 23 Eliz. He and his wife and servants were also many times indicted upon 1 Eliz. for twelve pence a Sunday for not being at church; tho' he could not attend on account of his being excommunicated. At every sessions the justices would take no presentment from the officers, and at every visitation the courtholders would take no presentment from the wardens, unless Mr. Collins was inserted; so that both were forced unwillingly to give him disturbance. He was also prosecuted for living within five miles of the place where he had been minister. All which prosecutions bore so hard upon him, that he was at length obliged to leave his family, and at last was forced to quit the kingdom, and withdraw into Holland, by which he lost several hundred pounds; and he was obliged to sell a very handsome mansion-house, and a fine estate adjoining, to maintain himself and family in their distracted condition. But notwithstanding his sufferings were so great, he lived to be near 80 years of age. His funeral sermon was preached by Mr. G. Trosse, of Exeter. He was a grave and pious man. At his death he left 20l. towards building a new meeting. It was remarkable, that the high-constable was taken ill the day that Mr. Collins was seized, and died the Lord's-day following.

TAMERTON [V.] Mr. ROBERT WYNE. Nothing more is known of him than that he published the following

WORKS. Elysii Campi: A Paradise of Delights, in two Discourses. 1. The Confirmation of the Covenant, on Heb. vi, 17, 18. 2. The Donation of Christ, on Rom. viii. 32.

North TAWTON [R.] Mr. MAYNARD. He was an old man when he was ejected; but notwithstanding this, he met with severe usage. Soon after his ejectment he was threatened with being sent to the work-house, by justice G-, who told him that he should there hear better preaching than his own, and asked him, Who made him a preacher ? Mr.

Maynard