the February following, against the commands of their poetical pastor; but the archbishop insisted that his instructions should stand, and obedience be yielded to his injunctions".

While, under the direction of the Archbishop, he was thus severe with the heterodox, he was equally zealous in supporting the establishment of which he was a dignitary: exertions were now.making by the King, the Clergy, and indeed all orders of people, for the restoring Saint Paul's cathedral, which had remained in ruins since its second destruction by fire, early in Elizabeth's reign. In 1631

7 Notwithstanding these harsh measures, which originated with Laud-for, to the praise of our amiable prelate, he had not a grain of persecution in his disposition-"the Walloon company in 1637 having undertaken to repayre and make fit the church of Little St. Maryes to be used for God's worship by the said congregation, and also to repayre the yard on the northside, had a lease for forty years. Which lease hath been renewed, and now it is the church of the French congregation." Blomefield's Hi-, story of Norfolk, vol. ii. 57. fol. 1739.

a special commission was issued by the King, for the purpose of collecting money, to be applied to this purpose. The subscription went on tardily till Laud contributed a hundred pounds, to be renewed annually, and "Corbet bishop of Norwich (then almoner to the king) giving four hundred pounds, multitudes of others, says Stowe, for eleven years together brought in their monies very plentifully." Nor did his liberality stop here: Wood says that in addition to this contribution, which at the time we speak of

8 Strype's edition of Stowe's Survey, book iii. page 151. edit. fol. 1720.

Perhaps his fellow-collegian Cartwright intended an immediate compliment to Corbet in the following lines:

Two sacred things were thought, by judging souls, ·Beyond the kingdom's power, Christ-Church and Pauls, 'Till by a light from heaven shewn the one

Did gain his second renovation.

Poems, 188, 8vo. 1651,

9 Ath. Oxon. vol, i. p. 601. edit. 1721,

was an enormous bounty, he

1

gave money to

many needy ministers, thereby to excite the donations of their wealthier brethren; and

he pronounced the following admonitory, persuasive and satirical address to the clergy of his diocese:

"Saint Paul's church! One word in the behalf of Saint Paul; he hath spoken many in ours; he hath raised our inward temples. Let us help to requite him in his outward. We admire commonly those things which are oldest and greatest: old monuments, and high buildings, do affect us above measure: and what is the reason? Because what is oldest cometh nearest God for antiquity: and what is greatest, comes nearest his works for spaciousness and magnitude: so that in ho

'Harl. MS. No. 750. Malcolm's Londinum Redivivum, vol. iii. p. 80. It occurs, also, with some difference, in Mus. Ashm. No. 1153.

nouring these we honour God, whom old and

great do seem to imitate.

Should I commend

Paul's to you for the age,

it were worth your

thought and admiration. A thousand years, though it should fall now, were a pretty climacterical. See the bigness, and your eye never yet beheld such a goodly object. It's worth the reparation, though it were but for a land mark; but, beloved, it is a church, and consecrated to God. From Charles to Ethelbert she hath been the joy of princes. It was once dedicated to Diana (at least some part of it); but the idolatry lasted not long. And see a mystery iu the change: Saint Paul confuting twice the idol, there in person, where the cry was, 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians!' and here by proxy. Paul installed, where Diana is thrust out. It did magnify the creation, it was taken out of the

darkness light is not the clearer for it, but stronger and more wonderful: and it doth beautify this church, because it was taken from pollution. The stones are not the more durable, but the happier for it. It is worthy the standing for the age, the time since it was built, and for the structure, so stately an edifice is it it is worthy to stand for a memorial of it from which it is redeemed, but chiefly for his house that dwells therein. We are bound to do it, for the service sake that is done in it. Are we not beholden to it, every man, either to the body, or the choir: for a walk or a warbling note: for a prayer or a thorough-path? Some way or other, there is a topick may make room for your benevolence.

"It hath twice suffered Martyrdom: and both by fire, in the time of Henry the Sixth and the third of Elizabeth.