IN the Year 1707, the Rectory of Shepperton, in the County of Middlefex, lapfed to the Queen, the Incumbent thereof becoming deprived for neglecting to take the Oaths within the Time limited by the Laws. Upon this, his Royal Miftrefs presented Dr. Atterbury to this Cure, and he was inftituted Rector, 30 Sept. in the fame Year. †

ON the 3d of March, 1719, Dr. John Robinson, then Lord Bishop of London, collated our Author to the Rectory of Hornfey, in the County of Middlefex, || which was the more agreeable to him, because the Chapel of Highgate is fituate in that Parish, and many of his conftant Hearers became now his Parishioners.

He never rofe to any Dignity in the Church, though it might perhaps have been expected from the Intereft of his Brother, whilft in Place and Favour.

IT is certain the Doctor applied for the Archdeaconry of Rochester, in the Bihop's own Gift, and had fome Encourage

Original Inftruments. Ibid.

ment

ment from his Lordship, though he did not fucceed in it. I fhall let the Reader into this Affair, by prefenting him from the Originals with the following Letters between the two Brothers, which will at the fame Time give him a Specimen of their Manner of writing in an Epiftolary Way.

To the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of

Dear Brother,

Rochester.

TT is reported that the Archdeacon (of Rochefter) is dead, and I have fent my Servant to inform me, whether it 'is fo or not. I have fince confidered 'all that you faid to me Yesterday, and 'both from Reafon and Matter of Fact, 'ftill am of Opinion, that there can be no juft Matter of Exception taken. I fhall only lay down two or three Inftances which lie uppermoft in my Thoughts. "Your Lordship very well knows, that Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, had 'a Brother for his Archdeacon; and that "Sir Thomas More's Father was a puifny Judge, when he was Lord Chancellor. And thus, in the Sacred Hiftory, did

'God

God himself appoint, that the Safety and Advancement of the Patriarchs fhould be procured by their younger Brother; and, that they, with their Father, fhould live under the Protection ⚫ and Government of Jofeph. I inftance in those obvious Examples, only to let your Lordship fee, that I have canvased thefe Matters in my own Thoughts; and I fee no Reafon, but to depend on your kind Intentions intimated in "your former Letter, to

Your most affectionate Brother,

and bumble Servant,

LEWIS ATTERBURY.

To the Reverend Doctor ATTERBURY,

at Highgate.

Dear Brother,

BROMLEY,

Wednesday, Apr. 1720.

YOUR Letter, directed to Weftminster, found me here this Morning.

I hope to be at Westminster To-morrow.

• In the mean Time you may affure yourfelf of any Thing that is in my Difpofal.

At prefent the Gentleman you • mention is well, and likely to continue fo. His Distemper is the fame as mine, though he has it in a worse Degree. • However, he is 16 or 17 Years younger 'than I am, and may probably therefore outlive me. When he was in Danger of late, the first Person I thought of was you. But there are Objections against that, in Point of Decency, which, "I I own, stick with me; and which, after I have laid them before you, you 'fhall allow, or over-rule, as you ⚫ think fit. It had been a much properer Poft for my Nephew, if God had pleased to spare his Life. You need ❝ not mention any Thing of this Kind to me; for you may depend upon it, you are never out of the Thoughts of

Your ever affectionate Brother

FR. ROFFEN.

To

To the Reverend Doctor ATTERBURY.

Dear Brother,

I Hope you have considered the Mat2

ter of the Archdeaconry, and do at laft fee it in the fame Light that I do. I proteft to you, I cannot help thinking it the most unfeemly indecent Thing in the World, and I am very fure, the Generality of thofe, whofe Opinions I regard, will be of that Opinion. I was fo far from apprehending that fuch à Station, under me, would be in the leaft welcome to you, that I difcourfed of it, and propofed it to another Perfon • fome Time ago, and an entered very far into Engagements on that Head; and, had you not written to me, I do frankly own, that I fhould never have fpoken a Word to you about it. Believe me, when I tell you, that this is a plain State of the Fact; and, fhould you at laft come to be of my Opinion, I dare fay, you will not, at long Run, think yourfelf miftaken. I am fure, I fhall not be at Eafe, till you are in fome good Dignity in the Church; fuch as you, and I, and all the World shall a

'gree,