part iii
, pag. 7b.
He had a good interest with great men, as you may find in his poems, and with the then great favourite, the duke of Bucks; his excellent witt was lettres of recommendation to him. I have forgott the story, but at the same time that Dr. <Samuel> Fell thought to have carried it, Dr. Corbet putt a pretty trick on <him> to lett him take a journey on purpose to London for it, when he had already the graunt of it.
He preacht a sermon before the king at Woodstock (I suppose king James, quaere) and no doubt with a very good grace; but it happened that he was out, on which occasion there were made these verses:--
A reverend deane, With his band[690] starch't cleane, Did preach before the King; In his band string was spied A ring that was tied[CQ], Was not that a pretty thing? If then without doubt, In his text he was out . . . . . . next, The ring without doubt Was the thing putt him out, For all that were there, On my conscience, dare sweare, That he handled it more than his text:--
vide the verses.
[691]His conversation[692] was extreme pleasant. Dr. Stubbins[CR] was one of his cronies; he was a jolly fatt Dr. and a very good house-keeper; parson of <Ambrosden> in Oxfordshire. As Dr. Corbet and he were riding in Lob-lane, in wett weather, ('tis an extraordinary deepe dirty lane) the coach fell; and Dr. Corbet sayd that Dr. Stubbins was up to the elbowes in mud, he was up to the elbowes in Stubbins.
Anno Domini <1628> he was made bishop of Oxford, and I have heard that he had an admirable, grave, and venerable aspect.
One time, as he was confirming, the country people pressing in to see[693] the ceremonie, sayd he, '_Beare-off there, or I'le confirme yee with my staffe_.' Another time being to lay his hand on the head of a man very bald, he turns to his chaplaine (Lushington) and sayd, '_Some dust, Lushington_,' (to keepe his hand from slipping). There was a man with a great venerable beard; sayd the bishop, '_You, behind the beard_.'
His chaplain, Dr. Lushington[CS], was a very learned and ingeniose man, and they loved one another. The bishop sometimes would take the key of the wine-cellar, and he and his chaplaine would goe and lock themselves in and be merry. Then first he layes downe his episcopall hat,--'_There lyes the Dr._' Then he putts of his gowne,--'_There lyes the Bishop_.' Then 'twas,--'_Here's to thee, Corbet_,' and '_Here's to thee, Lushington_.'--From Josias Howe, B.D., Trin. Coll. Oxon.
He built a pretty house (quaere) neer the cawsey beyond Friar Bacon's studie.
He married[CT] ..., whom 'twas sayd he begott. She was a very beautifull woman, and so was her mother. He had a son (I think Vincent) that went to schoole at Westminster, with Ned Bagshawe; a very handsome youth, but he is run out of all, and goes begging up and downe to gentlemen.
He was made bishop of Norwich, Anno Domini <1632>. He dyed <28 July, 1635>. The last words he sayd were, '_Good night, Lushington_.' He lyes buried in the upper end of the choire at Norwich, [on the south side of the monument of bishop Herbert, the founder, under a faire gravestone of free-stone, from whence the inscription[CU] and scutcheon of brasse are stollen[694]].
His poems are pure naturall witt, delightfull and easie.
Quaere what he hath writt besides his poems: vide