The Bishop's chief house at Buckden, in the County of Huntingdon, the
usual residence of his predecessors,--for it stands about the midst
of his Diocese,--having been at his consecration a great part of it
demolished, and what was left standing under a visible decay, was by
him undertaken to be erected and repaired: and it was performed with
great speed, care, and charge. And to this may be added, that the King
having by an Injunction commended to the care of the Bishops, Deans,
and Prebends of all Cathedral Churches, "the repair of them, their
houses, and augmentation of small Vicarages;" he, when he was
repairing Buckden, did also augment the last, as fast as fines were
paid for renewing leases so fast, that a friend, taking notice of his
bounty, was so bold as to advise him to remember, "he was under his
first-fruits, and that he was old, and had a wife and children yet but
meanly provided for, especially if his dignity were considered." To
whom he made a mild and thankful answer, saying, "It would not become
a Christian Bishop to suffer those houses built by his predecessors
to be ruined for want of repair; and less justifiable to suffer any of
those, that were called to so high a calling as to sacrifice at God's
altar, to eat the bread of sorrow constantly, when he had a power by
a small augmentation, to turn it into the bread of cheerfulness: and
wished, that as this was, so it were also in his power to make all
mankind happy, for he desired nothing more. And for his wife and
children, he hoped to leave them a competence, and in the hands of a
God that would provide for all that kept innocence, and trusted his
providence and protection, which he had always found enough to make
and keep him happy."
[Sidenote: His favourite books]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account