ness for the same, protesting his detestation thereof, now that he truly understood the foulness of it. Affirming that till he first was brought to repentance, the devil had so far blinded his understanding that he could not apprehend that he had done amiss, or otherwise than was fitting for a man of his rank and quality, having been trained up in the wars, and lived the life of a soldier, which sort of men, he said, stood more on points of honour than religion. He humbly thanked God that had opened his eyes, and given him the grace to see his offence, and truly to apprehend the foulness of it. So falling to his prayers for a while in private, and after in public praying for the king and queen, their royal issue, and the State both of England and Scotland, with the lords of the council, and church, he submitted himself to the will of the executioner, who, casting him off the ladder, suffered him there to hang a long time, that people in this great man might take notice of the King's greater justice.

It is said that Lord Crichton was hanged on a gibbet higher than the ordinary one by the length of a man, because the manner of Scotland then would have it that when a gentleman was hanged, he had the honour of a more elevated gallows than persons of humble birth and station.

ARCHBISHOP ABBOT'S SHOOTING, AND THE RIGHT OF THE CLERGY TO ENGAGE IN FIELD SPORTS.

THE State Trials record an unfortunate mischance which befel the Most Rev. Father in God, George Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury, in the reign of James I., and which caused much anxiety and perplexity to the learned monarch of those days, and to his counsellors, both lay and clerical. The Archbishop, it appears, was excessively fond of field sports, though, as it turned out, a very bad shot. The consequences of his Grace's taste and unskilfulness are so quaintly related in the reports extant, that it will be, perhaps, as well to alter, as little as possible, their language or style, in the following narrative. The accident was this :

In the summer of 1621, Archbishop Abbot being invited by Lord Zouch to kill a buck at his park at Bramzil, in Hampshire, met with a very

calamitous chance, for, shooting at a deer with a cross-bow, the keeper, coming up unwarily too forward, was struck with the arrow under the left arm, and died about an hour after. The King, informed of this misfortune, and apprehensive scandal might be given if the matter was passed over, resolved to have the case thoroughly examined To this purpose the following letter, written, no doubt with learned satisfaction, by his Majesty, was directed to the Lord Keeper Williams, the Bishops of London, Winchester, Rochester, and the elects of St. David's and Exeter, Sir Henry Hobart, Knight, Chief-Justice of the Common Pleas, Mr. Justice Doddridge of the King's Bench, Sir Henry Martin, Dean of the Arches, and Mr. Dr. Steward, or any six of them, whereof the Lord Keeper (then Bishop of Lincoln elect), the Bishops of London, Winton, and St. David's elect, to be four :

"It is not unknown unto you what happened this last summer, unfortunately, to our right trusty, and our right well-beloved counsellor, the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, who, shooting at a deer with a cross-bow in Bramzil Park, did with that shoot casually give the keeper a wound whereof he died, which accident, though it might have happened to any other man, yet because his eminent rank and function in the church hath (as

we

we are informed) ministered occasion of some doubts, as making the case different in his person in respect of the scandal (as is supposed), therefore, being desirous (as it is fit we should) to be satisfied therein, and reposing especial trust in your learning and judgment, have made choice of you to inform us concerning the nature of the case; and do, therefore, require you to take it presently into your consideration, and the scandal that may have risen thereupon, and to certify us what, in your judgments, the same may amount unto, either to an irregularity or otherwise, and lastly, what means may be found to redress the same (if need be) of all which points we shall expect to hear your reports, with what diligence and expedition you possibly may.

"Dated at Theobalds, 3d Oct., 1621."

To this letter, the Bishops and others to whom the consideration of the Archbishop's case was referred, returned their answer in these words :

:

"May it please your majesty; Whereas we received a command from your majesty under your royal signet, to deliver our opinions unto your majesty, whether an irregularity or scandal might arise by this unfortunate act, which God permitted to come to pass by the hand of the most reverend Father in God, the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, shooting in a cross-bow at

a deer in Bramzil Park: as also of the cure and remedy of the same irregularity. For the first; Whether any irregularity be contracted by this act, in the person of my Lord Archbishop or not? No greater part of our number could assent or agree, because the Canons and Decrees themselves are so general, and so ready to entertain distinctions and limitations, the doctors and glosses so differing, inferences and disputes so peculiar to every man's conceit and apprehension, authorities of canonists and casuists so opposite in this very case in hand, that we could not return unto your majesty any unanimous resolution or opinion in the same. For the second; Whether any scandal may arise out of this act? We are of opinion a scandal may be taken by the weak at home, and the malicious abroad, though most of us believe there was no scandal given by the said right reverend father. For the third; We are all agreed not only that a restitution or dispensation may be granted by your majesty, either immediately under the great seal, or (which most of us in all humility represent unto your majesty) by the hands of some clergyman delegated by your majesty for that purpose, or what other way your majesty shall be pleased to extend that favour; but, withal, we are of opinion that it is most fitting for the said reverend father, both in